Saturday, March 22, 2025

Today's Scripture
Isaiah 44:24–45:7

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who by myself spread out the earth; who frustrates the omens of liars, and makes fools of diviners; who turns back the wise, and makes their knowledge foolish; who confirms the word of his servant, and fulfills the prediction of his messengers; who says of Jerusalem, “It shall be inhabited,” and of the cities of Judah, “They shall be rebuilt, and I will raise up their ruins”; who says to the deep, “Be dry — I will dry up your rivers”; who says of Cyrus, “He is my shepherd, and he shall carry out all my purpose”; and who says of Jerusalem, “It shall be rebuilt,” and of the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.”

Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their robes, to open doors before him — and the gates shall not be closed: I will go before you and level the mountains, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I surname you, though you do not know me.

I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides me there is no god. I arm you, though you do not know me, so that they may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is no one besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe; I the Lord do all these things. (NRSV)

Reflection

In this scripture passage, God’s voice is conveyed in the first person through Isaiah’s writing.

In a masterful declaration, God reminds the people that the Lord, their redeemer, created everything that exists, from the vast physical world to each precious life that began in its mother’s womb.

God proclaims absolute sovereignty over all aspects of creation.

Isaiah 44:25–28 warns us that our actions, when not aligned with God’s will, are wasteful and insubstantial.

Conversely, when God works through us, as God did with Cyrus, the Persian king, then nothing is impossible.

Interestingly, Isaiah prophesied that Cyrus would be God’s anointed instrument, to liberate the captive Jews, after Cyrus conquered Babylon. In this case, God used a nonbeliever for achieving God’s purposes.

Note to self: Be still, and listen for God’s voice. Be prepared to act as God’s instrument in the work of bringing about God’s kingdom on earth, for God’s ways are mysterious!

Our wise pastors remind us from the pulpit that God’s will supersedes the shortsighted and oftentimes flawed machinations of humankind and that when we’re fearful for the state of our country or the fragile planet, we can trust in the sanctity of God’s plan, even when it’s unknown to us.

This brings us to Isaiah 45:7, which states “God is the creator of light and darkness, weal and woe.”

It’s an uncomfortable assertion that God is the architect of bad things as well as good things.

Isaiah 48:10 says “I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.”

Experiencing adversity, whether singularly or collectively, builds strength of character and cultivates empathy.

Is it perhaps God’s will for us to become the best versions of ourselves, in order to love one another, in order to act together, to bring about God’s kingdom on earth?

Prayer
From the prayer of St. Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is darkness, let me bring your light. Amen.

Reflection written by Holly O’Mara, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church