Isaiah 40:21-31 page 1
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Isaiah 40:21-31 page 1 |
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Do you ever ask that? Debbie and I certainly do. We have asked it a lot, given the number of personal catastrophes that have happened to us since we moved here last August. Debbie's serious ear infection, when the squirrel died in the water tank and contaminated the supply; her more recent back and knee injuries; her father's heart failure and low blood pressure; the speeding drink-driver who smashed one parked car into mine a week and a half ago. And several more things that by their nature are too private to share publicly. Yes, sometimes we have laid in bed at night wondering where God is and what he is doing. We are not people who want to attribute troubles to the devil the moment something bad happens, but we have got to the point of saying that it feels like someone doesn't want us here. You may ask where God is, because you face troubles that dwarf what we have faced. It may be a sudden disaster that has taken your life in an unexpected and unwelcome direction. It may be a painful situation that you have lived with for years. It may be the disappointment of unfulfilled dreams that take the colour out of life and render it grey instead. It's a theme I'm going to explore in both services today, because the Old Testament lectionary readings lend themselves to it. As to this morning's reading, those who heard the words of Isaiah 40 were living with disappointment. Children of Judah, they were exiled in Babylon. They knew this was punishment from God for their consistent unfaithfulness. By now they have been resident in Babylon for a few decades. Has God left them there to rot? How can they sing the Lord's song in a strange land? To such people the prophecies from Isaiah chapter 40 onwards come as words of comfort. They are not sugar-coated, but challenging words of hope that enable them to move forward in faith and expectation of the good things God will soon do. If you feel God is far from you, my prayer for this morning is that they will give strength to you, too. It seems to me there are two questions being asked by the Hebrew exiles in this passage: does God care? And can he help? Maybe those questions are close to your heart. Let's explore them.
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Copyright © David D Faulkner, 2006 except where other sources are attributed or noted as inspiration. |
