Building a Life Without God

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Even before you begin your attack, while your plans are ripening like grapes, the Lord will cut off your new growth with pruning shears. He will snip off and discard your spreading branches. Your mighty army will be left dead in the fields for the mountain vultures and wild animals. The vultures will tear at the corpses all summer. The wild animals will gnaw at the bones all winter. At that time the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will receive gifts from this land divided by rivers, from this tall, smooth-skinned people, who are feared far and wide for their conquests and destruction. They will bring the gifts to Jerusalem, where the Lord of Heaven’s Armies dwells.”
Isaiah 18:5-7 NLT

Imagine the scenario. An attacking army is amassing its troops on the border of the nation they intend to invade. The camp has been set up with fields full of tents. There is a lorry park with vehicles constantly coming and going, bringing supplies of food and ammunition for the impending invasion. Tank transporters arrive, unloading their heavy cargoes, ready for the war yet to come. There may be a river in the way, so the engineering squads are putting together temporary bridges ready to roll them into place. A huge amount of activity is putting fear into the weaker nation, one seemingly unable to protect itself. Towns and villages on the borders are being evacuated. The defensive troops are digging trenches, but despairing as they see the size of the army coming against them. And then a miracle happens. Just as the command to invade is about to be given, God intervenes. We read this morning, “Even before you begin your attack, while your plans are ripening like grapes, the Lord will cut off your new growth with pruning shears. He will snip off and discard your spreading branches” (Isaiah 18:5). Just when success seems certain, God does something that turns the situation on its head, and the invasion doesn’t happen. What could have happened to the invaders? Perhaps a change in political leadership. Perhaps a threat from an unexpected quarter, or another nation stronger than them, has made them reconsider their plans. Sometimes, nations believe they are becoming stronger, but God determines when kingdoms rise and fall. Why did God let the situation on the border develop to the extent that it did? Why did He not answer the prayers for protection immediately they were uttered, rather than waiting so long before He reversed the situation? God often waits until exactly the right moment so that all the pieces drop into place and those looking on suddenly realise how wise he has been. 

In the Bible, we can read the account of Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha. But then Lazarus became ill, and his desperate sisters sent a message to Jesus, telling Him about the seriousness of the situation. We pick up the story in John 11: 5-7, “So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days. Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea””. Our prayers in that situation would have been for Jesus to heal him before the illness gets any worse. Surely that would have been the best course of action, saving Lazarus and his sisters from any more pain and suffering. But Jesus waited, and Lazarus died. What a tragedy, so people would have thought. Some even started to criticise Jesus, with comments such as, “ … This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?” (John 11:37). But then came those four words – “Roll the stone aside” – but we know what happened next. Jesus’ timing was perfect. People had seen Him heal the sick before, so there would have been nothing new if Jesus had healed Lazarus on his sickbed. After all, he might have been getting better anyway, or so they thought. But raising someone from the dead –  four days graveyard dead – was something that could not be rationalised away. The reason for the delay was for Jesus to give glory to His Father in Heaven. “Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?”” (John 11:40). 

The verses from Isaiah 18 today paint a picture of a life or situation built without any reference to God Himself. Consider the process required to build a house. A person might have prepared the ground and planned how the project will be implemented. All the required materials have been ordered. The contractors have been appointed. Planning permission has been granted. And then something goes wrong. Perhaps the project failed to plan a ground survey, and subsidence was discovered. There may have been another cause that stopped the housebuilding in its tracks. But stop it did. Empires, careers, reputations and wealth can appear secure, yet they remain fragile if they are built independently of God. Psalm 127 commences, “Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good”. And it continues, “It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones”. 

One final thought from Isaiah 18. The last verse reads, “At that time the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will receive gifts from this land divided by rivers, from this tall, smooth-skinned people, who are feared far and wide for their conquests and destruction. They will bring the gifts to Jerusalem, where the Lord of Heaven’s Armies dwells”. The chapter begins with distant nations, and it ends with those same nations bringing worship to God. In Revelation 7:9-10, we read, “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”” One day all the nations in the world will come together to worship God. There will be no exceptions. No lost tribes far away from civilisation. No languages forgotten. All that has ever been or is to come will be there, worshipping God. 

We note that the chapter begins with a foreign nation outside God’s covenant, but it ends with that nation bringing gifts to the Lord. What begins as judgment ends in worship, and this is the pattern of redemption that we find throughout Scripture. We remember the Apostle Paul, who persecuted the church until he had the vision of the risen Jesus on the Damascus Road and subsequently became its greatest missionary. The thief on the cross lived a life of sin but died worshipping Christ. Then, as now, many who once opposed the gospel now proclaim it.

We pilgrims may look at the media reports of global conflicts with deep concern, seeing one international crisis after another. Yet our emphasis must not be on politics but on God’s perspective. We are called to interpret world events through the lens of God’s sovereignty rather than fear. News changes daily, but God’s kingdom never changes. Our peace comes not from understanding every event, but from trusting the One who rules over them all.

Dear Father God. It is only by trusting in You that we can find the peace “that surpasses all understanding”. We look around us through Your eyes of sovereignty and feel our anxious thoughts dissipate. Thank You. Amen.

God’s Sovereignty in Isaiah 18: A Message for Today

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Listen, Ethiopia—land of fluttering sails that lies at the headwaters of the Nile, that sends ambassadors in swift boats down the river. Go, swift messengers! Take a message to a tall, smooth-skinned people, who are feared far and wide for their conquests and destruction, and whose land is divided by rivers. All you people of the world, everyone who lives on the earth— when I raise my battle flag on the mountain, look! When I blow the ram’s horn, listen! For the Lord has told me this: “I will watch quietly from my dwelling place— as quietly as the heat rises on a summer day, or as the morning dew forms during the harvest.””
Isaiah 18:1-4 NLT

The heading to this chapter in my Bible is “A Message about Ethiopia”: the Hebrew translation refers to “Cush”, which encompasses regions of Southern Egypt, Sudan, and parts of Ethiopia. The chapter starts with a reference to the source of the Nile, the “headwaters” of a navigable part able to send messengers in “swift boats”. But the source of the Nile is two rivers, one starting thousands of miles away in East Africa, and the other in Lake Victoria in Uganda. But Isaiah’s reference to “Cush” brings to mind “swift messengers” delivering a message to a “tall, smooth-skinned people”. These were the Cushites (ancient Nubians or Ethiopians). In Biblical times, they were renowned for their remarkable stature and sleek, dark skin. In Isaiah 18:2, we read that these people were “feared far and wide for their conquests and destruction”. 

Isaiah 18:3 starts with “All you people of the world, everyone who lives on the earth”, so the scope of the prophecy extends to all nations on earth. And it is a warning to take note when God said, “When I raise my battle flag on the mountain, look! When I blow the ram’s horn, listen!” A message was coming that would impact all the nations. For us pilgrims today, it is easy to become overwhelmed by world events, and in this prophecy, Isaiah is reminding us that God has never surrendered His throne. Kings and governments may change, and as I write, another prime minister in the UK parliament is due to take office. Some fear the change, viewing it negatively as yet another opportunity to increase taxes on hard-working people. Others look at it as an opportunity for something positive to happen, something to improve the lot of the common man. History will decide, of course. But the important thing to note is that the Lord remains King forever.

There is something else worthy of note in the next verse that follows on from God being sovereign and still on His throne. He “will watch quietly from [His] dwelling place— as quietly as the heat rises on a summer day, or as the morning dew forms during the harvest”. God watches from heaven, and nothing escapes His attention. We might see wars, political movements and changes. We fret when we see evil men at war for egotistic purposes. We read of societal challenges, gender wars and so on, but, and here’s the thing, God sees hearts, motives and future consequences. People might think they can get away with their evil behaviour, but God is taking note and writing down all the misdeeds, and even evil thoughts, in one of the books that will be opened on the Day of Judgement (Revelation 20). Nothing, absolutely nothing, will escape God’s gaze. Hebrews 4:12-13, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable”. 

Sometimes, we pilgrims feel that God is strangely quiet when we are going through some crisis or particular life challenge. We pray, but the Heavens appear to be made of brass, and our prayers bounce back unanswered. We read the Word, and we might even find some revelation or a few crumbs of comfort that will sustain us, but the problem is still with us. It could be ill-health or a financial challenge. It could be a relational problem with a neighbour or a family member. We might even be at our wits’ end, not knowing what to do. But God is watching quietly “from His dwelling place”. Psalm 27 finishes, “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord”. Psalm 121:3, “He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber”. God’s timing is always perfect, and He will act in answer to our prayers at just the right time. We might want to hurry Him along a bit, but we should take a lesson from Abraham, who waited twenty-five years before He saw the promise of God in the birth of Isaac. In Psalm 27:14, we read, “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord“.

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for Your promises, Your provision and Your presence. We worship You today. Amen.

The Roaring Armies: God’s Sovereignty Amidst Chaos

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Listen! The armies of many nations roar like the roaring of the sea. Hear the thunder of the mighty forces as they rush forward like thundering waves. But though they thunder like breakers on a beach, God will silence them, and they will run away. They will flee like chaff scattered by the wind, like a tumbleweed whirling before a storm. In the evening, Israel waits in terror, but by dawn, its enemies are dead. This is the just reward of those who plunder us, a fitting end for those who destroy us.”
Isaiah 17:12-14 NLT

Do these verses sound familiar this morning? There seems to be so many “roaring armies” around the world. Closest to home here in the UK is the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. But further afield, we have the wars in the Middle East, most notably between the US and Iran. Sudan has experienced internal conflict for many years. Even further away, there are “wars” in parts of Latin America and Myanmar. I suppose the difference today is that there are no two armies facing each other; instead, there are more technological wars, particularly in the use of unmanned devices such as drones. But there is certainly much “roaring” going on, with belligerent leaders and politicians shouting at each other. 

In Biblical days, the armies did face each other, and success on the battlefield was then followed by the subjugation of the losing nation. There was a famous battle in 1 Samuel 17, and we read, “The Philistines now mustered their army for battle and camped between Socoh in Judah and Azekah at Ephes-dammim. Saul countered by gathering his Israelite troops near the valley of Elah. So the Philistines and Israelites faced each other on opposite hills, with the valley between them”. We know the rest of that story, involving as it did Goliath and David. 

But in our verses today from Isaiah 17, we read, “But though [the armies] thunder like breakers on a beach, God will silence them, and they will run away”. Then, as now, amid all the noise from armies and politicians, when God speaks, the belligerent disappear. Psalm 2 commences, “Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one”. Today, there may not be the same religious reasoning behind the wars fought. In most, if not all, cases today, it is one evil nation or faction fighting against another of the same persuasion. In the UK, there is much political chatter about the size of the defence budget and how to fund an increase. Our wayward and Godless politicians have missed the obvious solution: if the whole nation turned to God, we would experience His protection from our enemies, real or imagined, without spending money to achieve the same aim in our own strength. Sadly, it seems that such a solution is decreasing almost by the day in our increasingly secular nation. But is that an unrealistic expectation? It probably is, but then we think about Ephesians 3:20, where we read what can be achieved through God’s power within us.

In all the roaring, though, one fact, one truth, shines out like a beacon – God is still sovereign. He is still sitting on His throne, and taking an active interest in what is going on in the world today. We pilgrims turn to Psalm 46 and read, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. … The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble! God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts! The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress” (Psalm 46:1-2, 6-7). We remember the time when Jesus was sleeping in a boat caught up in the middle of a storm. In all the roaring of the waves and wind, he spoke, as we read in Mark 4:39-40, “When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly, the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”” The God who can silence the waves and wind can also silence the roaring of the nations. God, through His righteousness, will prevail over the forces of evil. Revelation 17:14, “Together they will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of all Lords and King of all kings. And his called and chosen and faithful ones will be with him”.

One last thought from Isaiah 17, and this time in the last verse. We read, “In the evening Israel waits in terror, but by dawn its enemies are dead”. Many believers know what it is to go to bed anxious and wake to discover that God has already been at work. Sometimes God’s greatest victories happen while His people are resting. Psalm 30:5, “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning”. Then we have Psalm 121:4-5, “Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade”. 

We pilgrims worship and follow a God of love, grace and righteousness. We are His children, and when we hear the roaring of evil in our ears and see the impact on our screens, we remember that God is still in control. Yesterday, today, and forever. We know how history will end, but in the meantime, with the Psalmist, we say, “The Lord keeps watch over [us] as [we] come and go, both now and forever”. 

Dear Lord. Thank You for Your love and grace. Whenever we hear the roaring of Your enemies, we remember that You are our refuge and strength, as we continue our life journey day by day. Amen.

Finding Rest in God Amidst Life’s Busyness

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Their largest cities will be like a deserted forest, like the land the Hivites and Amorites abandoned when the Israelites came here so long ago. It will be utterly desolate. Why? Because you have turned from the God who can save you. You have forgotten the Rock who can hide you. So you may plant the finest grapevines and import the most expensive seedlings. They may sprout on the day you set them out; yes, they may blossom on the very morning you plant them, but you will never pick any grapes from them. Your only harvest will be a load of grief and unrelieved pain.”
Isaiah 17:9-11 NLT

We remember that Isaiah’s prophecy was directed against Damascus and the Northern nation of Israel. Earlier in Chapter 17, we read, “The fortified towns of Israel will also be destroyed, and the royal power of Damascus will end. All that remains of Syria will share the fate of Israel’s departed glory,” declares the Lord of Heaven’s Armies”. God’s glory had left Israel on another occasion, when the Philistines captured the Ark of God in a battle during which Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were killed. The account of what happened can be found in 1 Samuel 4. Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, went into labour through the shock of hearing the news, and a son was born. We read, “She named the child Ichabod (which means “Where is the glory?”), for she said, “Israel’s glory is gone.” She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead. Then she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured”” (1 Samuel 4:21-22). 

The presence of the “glory of God” had always been assumed by the Jews, almost as if it were their right, because they were His chosen people. They would have remembered Scriptures such as are found in Exodus 24:16-17, “And the glory of the Lord settled down on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud. To the Israelites at the foot of the mountain, the glory of the Lord appeared at the summit like a consuming fire”. Moses even asked to be able to see God’s glory. Exodus 33:18, “Then Moses said, ‘Now show me your glory’”. And right at the end of the Book, we see mention of God’s glory once again, “So he took me in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious stone—like jasper as clear as crystal” (Revelation 21:10-11). God’s glory is never far away from His people, then and now. The Psalmist David wrote, “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship” (Psalm 19:1). I watched a glorious sunrise this morning, and it is hard to ignore the beauty and wonder that emerged over the horizon. But that is just a foretaste of the glory that we will one day encounter in the presence of God. 

The prophecy in Isaiah 17 referred to the Lord as being “Israel’s departed glory”. Had God really gone or had the Israelites looked the other way, away from Him? Sadly, the Jews had become accustomed to looking to their idols and Asherah poles, instead of the Lord of Hosts, God Himself. The kingdom of Israel was being attacked, and the prophecy outlined how its destruction would come about; Isaiah 17:10a explained the reason, “You have forgotten God your Saviour; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress. …”. This must be one of the saddest verses in the Bible. The Israelites were busy planting, buying, importing vines, and planning their lives, but with one significant factor: God did not appear in anything they were doing because they had forgotten Him. 

As we fast-forward to today, how are we, as pilgrims, living our lives? Is there a chance that we have forgotten God in all our busyness, our planning and our activities? We look around us and see the hustle and bustle of people, generally weary and burdened, as they go about their busy lives, seemingly spending much effort on achieving little. Are we caught up in that as well? There was a musical in 1961 called “Stop the World, I Want to Get Off”, a title that perhaps portrays the feeling of busyness that can consume people and simply wear them out. Perhaps we pilgrims need to stop, take stock, and rest, turning our eyes to the One who brings the peace we need.

Jesus had a message for the church in Ephesus: “Yet I hold this against you: you have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place” (Revelation 2:4). In Luke 10:38-39, we read, “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said”. Mary got things right, because we too should spend more time sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him and embracing His truths. 

The Israelite’s problem was summed up in Deuteronomy 8:11-14, “Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large, and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud, and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery”. Is that the same problem that God’s people suffer from today? Have we been so caught up with the mad whirl of life that we have turned away from God, and instead been filled with pride in our achievements? Such is the disease we call worldliness, and there is only one cure. 

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29). There is no other place to be than in the presence of Jesus. The Psalmists wrote, “A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked” (Psalm 84:10). Today, let us meditate on this verse as we go about our business, looking to Jesus, the “author and finisher of our faith”.

Dear Heavenly Father. It is only in Your presence that we will find the remedy for a life spent without fruit. Unless You are with us in all that we do, then we are wasting our time striving to produce the harvest You want us to achieve. Please forgive us for our waywardness and sins, and grant us the strength to stay the course of life with our eyes fixed firmly on You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

People Will Look to their Creator

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Only a few of its people will be left, like stray olives left on a tree after the harvest. Only two or three remain in the highest branches, four or five scattered here and there on the limbs, declares the Lord, the God of Israel. Then at last the people will look to their Creator and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. They will no longer look to their idols for help or worship what their own hands have made. They will never again bow down to their Asherah poles or worship at the pagan shrines they have built.
Isaiah 17:6-8 NLT

The people in Israel will have nothing left, according to Isaiah’s prophecy. Their society will have been destroyed, with most of the inhabitants either killed or deported into exile. The few people left will look around them and feel the loss of their neighbours, the busy markets, the chatter in the taverns, but it will all have gone, swept away by the Assyrian tide. But they will be unable to relax, because they will have to eat. There will be fields to tend, flocks to look after, friends and relatives to mourn, probably wounds to heal, and bodies to bury. Perhaps their houses will require repair or rebuilding. There will be much to do by the “few of its people” who will be left.

Imagine today looking out of our windows, if we had any after the devastation, at a town or village, devastated by war, with buildings partially or totally destroyed. The aggressors had gone, pillaging and plundering over. The shops that had not been flattened by shelling and bombing were devoid of any contents. All gone. All destroyed. Bodies everywhere needing to be buried. The people are left starving and despairing, but so few remain. Perhaps a modern-day image of what Damascus of old will be like. Apocalyptic visions of what life will be like after wars have wrought devastation.

But there is hope, because “then at last the people will look to their Creator and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel”. The idols were of no help. The “gods”, sculpted lumps of metal or wood on the shelf in the living room, will not rush to their aid. Bowing to the Asherah poles or to the pagan shrines will not achieve anything. A brutal lesson will have been learnt by the remnant of people left in the land. Dim memories of Deuteronomy 28 might have re-emerged in their miserable thoughts, as they ticked off one by one all the curses Moses had warned about. They will finally “get it”, that there is no God other than their Creator, the “Holy One of Israel”. 

Back to the same scenario today. There may not be Asherah poles or pagan shrines. No idols in the corner of the room, but there are other “gods”. Perhaps the golf clubs in the corner. Or the expensive car, or what is left of it, parked on the drive, useless and just an inanimate lump of metal, plastic and glass. An idol is anything that has taken the place of God, anything that diverts our attention away from our Creator, the “Holy One of Israel”. 

Regardless of the age we live in, God is always there. He is the “same yesterday, today and forever”. God created us, when He “… made all the delicate, inner parts of [our bodies] and knit [each one of us] together in our mothers’ wombs” (Psalm 139:13). How arrogant mankind has been when they have forgotten this very truth, that we are only here on this planet through the grace of God and through His miraculous design in creation. And we have the extreme offence of God’s creation being brutalised and corrupted, perhaps on the altar of abortion, a modern-day Asherah pole or pagan shrine, worshipped in the name of selfish pleasure. 

But in times of trouble, what do people do? We can turn to Psalm 121 to find the remedy. “I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!” That’s the bottom line for mankind, regardless of belief or religion. There is only one Source for the few people left. Psalm 46:1, 6, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. … The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble! God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts!” Further on in the Psalm, we read, “Come, see the glorious works of the Lord: See how he brings destruction upon the world. He causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; he burns the shields with fire. Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honoured by every nation. I will be honoured throughout the world” (Psalm 46:8-10). Ultimately, God will prevail over all evil, and it is a hard lesson for people everywhere to learn that they have lost out by worshipping the wrong god.

God’s love is there for everyone to embrace, a love so profound and complete that He did not even spare His own Son, Jesus. And all we have to do is believe in Him. Of course, that means we must turn from our sins and live our lives God’s way. But the alternative for all those who refuse to believe in Him is that they will perish. When we read John 3:16 slowly and carefully, we find the two choices before us: perishing or eternal life. I know which option I have chosen.

Dear Father God. Once again on my knees before You today, I can do nothing other than worship You. Only You have the words of eternal life, spoken through the lips of Your Son, Jesus. I pray for the strength to complete the journey into Your presence, the place where You live, despite all the trials and temptations that come my way. And I pray for my family, that they, too, will make the right choice at Calvary. Amen.

Living Life God’s Way

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“This message came to me concerning Damascus: “Look, the city of Damascus will disappear! It will become a heap of ruins. The towns of Aroer will be deserted. Flocks will graze in the streets and lie down undisturbed, with no one to chase them away. The fortified towns of Israel will also be destroyed, and the royal power of Damascus will end. All that remains of Syria will share the fate of Israel’s departed glory,” declares the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “In that day Israel’s glory will grow dim; its robust body will waste away.”
Isaiah 17:1-4 NLT

With the demise of Moab behind him, Isaiah’s prophetic writings continue, but now against Damascus and the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Isaiah 17 starts with a description of a ruined city, which was once full of “royal power”,  a city that now consisted of ruined buildings, a place where untended flocks of sheep and goats grazed on vegetation no longer cultivated. A city that was once full of Israel’s glory, but now deserted, with no people there anymore, people either killed or taken away into exile. I’m sure we pilgrims all know what a ruined building looks like. Here in Scotland, there are many reminders of past inhabitants living in small stone-built cottages, now roofless and crumbling. Vegetation can be found growing out of the joints between differently-shaped rocks and stones, once lovingly put together as a home for a family, so that they could live by their fields and crops. Or perhaps our thoughts move to the picture today of parts of Ukraine, destroyed by war, buildings with holes in the walls, windows blown out, and blackened by fire. 

What would it have been like to have lived in Damascus, Aroer and the fortified towns of Israel in those days? The sound of an approaching army, the sounds of battle, the shrieks of terror as the victorious insurgents entered the town, the terrible events that followed, with people rounded up, killed, and even driven out into places where they didn’t want to go. All their possessions lost, families separated and treated like slaves; much more could be written about the events that ended with the scene before us today, of ruined buildings crumbling away, the sounds of a living and vibrant city replaced by a silence only broken by the noisy grazing of the animals left behind. 

Israel and Damascus had trusted in military alliances rather than in God. The very things they had relied upon would be taken away. There would be no protection from their fortifications. Their armies would either have been destroyed or the remaining soldiers had run away. But how does this account of misery and destruction provide any sort of lesson for us pilgrims today? Well, for a start, there is the nagging thought that human attempts to build a life of security and prosperity will never succeed unless God is involved. Jesus told the story of the two builders, one who built his house on foundations of sand and the other on foundations of rock. Jesus said, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock” (Matthew 7:24-25). But perhaps the Israelites in Damascus fell into the second category of builder, “But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash” (Matthew 7:26-27). We know from the events of that time that God’s people had turned away from Him and were behaving in ways that He had explicitly warned them about. They had replaced the worship of God with the worship of idols. They were living sinful, disobedient lives that their ancestors had been told about in Deuteronomy 28:15-16, “But if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you: Your towns and your fields will be cursed”. What would happen to the disobedient people who lived in Damascus was described by Moses many years earlier.

There are two ways in which we can build our lives: one with God and one without Him. For those who decide to go their own way, God sometimes begins to remove their support structure, plank by plank, until they turn to Him in repentance and humility, confessing their sins and deciding to live their lives His way. Sometimes God allows this to happen in a spectacular way, as recently with the news account of a senior, high-earning accountant who put in place a series of financial instruments to protect his money and property from the tax authorities, only to find that the judicial system didn’t agree with what he had done. He is now in the modern-day equivalent of the Damascus of old, watching all his possessions being seized and sold to pay his debts. For him and his wife, homelessness is becoming a real possibility. 

Jeremiah wrote, “This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land” (Jeremiah 17:5-6). This was why Damascus became a heap of ruins, and the Israelites should have read on to the next two verses in Jeremiah, “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit”. We pilgrims know and understand the next two verses, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve”. 

There was a psalmist called Asaph who knew all the Scriptures, including those about the blessings and curses written by Moses in Deuteronomy 28. He couldn’t understand why some people seemed to escape the curses that were the lot of those who refused to follow God and His ways. Psalm 73:2-3, “But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked”. He saw that, “They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills” (Psalm 73:5), and he concluded, “Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence” (Psalm 73:13). Why weren’t they destroyed, he wondered. He couldn’t get his mind around the dilemma, “till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin” (Psalm 73:17-18). His thoughts concluded in the last two verses of this Psalm, “Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds”.

We pilgrims know that there is no other way to live our lives than to live them God’s way. Even living in a society where perhaps everything around us is shaking. The secular direction that people are going will not end well for them or our nation, and the writer to the Hebrews wrote, “When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain” (Hebrews 12:26-27). But for us pilgrims, there is hope for the future, regardless of what will happen, “Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshipping him with holy fear and awe” (Hebrews 12:28). We are a Kingdom people, children of our wonderfu and amazing Heavenly Father. As Habakkuk wrote, “Though the fig-tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the sheepfold and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights” (Habakkuk 3:17-19). That is the wonder of living life God’s way. We are invincible overcomers, in the knowledge that one day we will be securely home with God. Forever.

Dear Heavenly Father. We know in our heads that You are the Source of all we need to live our lives Your way. Please help us to learn that deep within our hearts so that we can truly complete our journey hand in hand with You, rejoicing and strong. Amen.

Finding Refuge: Overcoming Pride in Times of Trouble

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Send lambs from Sela as tribute to the ruler of the land. Send them through the desert to the mountain of beautiful Zion. The women of Moab are left like homeless birds at the shallow crossings of the Arnon River. “Help us,” they cry. “Defend us against our enemies. Protect us from their relentless attack. Do not betray us now that we have escaped. Let our refugees stay among you. Hide them from our enemies until the terror is past.” When oppression and destruction have ended and enemy raiders have disappeared, then God will establish one of David’s descendants as king. He will rule with mercy and truth. He will always do what is just and be eager to do what is right. We have heard about proud Moab—about its pride, arrogance, and rage. But all that boasting has disappeared.”
Isaiah 16:1-6 NLT

Isaiah chapters 15 and 16 paint a heartbreaking picture. Moab is devastated. Cities have been destroyed, people are weeping, refugees are fleeing, and families are desperately searching for safety. Throughout Isaiah 15 we repeatedly hear the language of grief, with mentions of weeping, crying, faint hearts and more.  It is a picture of people who have discovered that everything they trusted will be taken away. Yet amid this terrible situation, there appears to be an opportunity for refuge. Moab is encouraged to turn towards Zion. But there is a problem. Pride. In our verses today we read, “We have heard about proud Moab—about its pride and arrogance and rage”. Moab desperately needed help, but pride stood in its way.

There is an important spiritual lesson here for us pilgrims. Sometimes the greatest barrier between ourselves and the help that God can supply is not our weakness. It is our pride, and in it we say that we can manage, that we don’t need help from anyone. We say that we will sort this or that particular problem ourselves, and anyway, if all else fails, we will then turn to God. But faith says something very different: it tells the Lord that we need Him. However, we know that God offers us a place of refuge. Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble”. Matthew 11:28-30 NLT, “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light””. But to come to Christ we must first admit that we need Him. We cannot receive grace while insisting that we are self-sufficient. We cannot find refuge while refusing to admit that we need shelter. We cannot experience the strength of God while pretending that we are strong enough on our own. The tragedy of Moab is that help was available, but pride stood in the way.

Perhaps today God is reminding us that we do not have to carry everything ourselves. We can come to Him, admitting our weaknesses, confessing our needs, and, of course, laying down our pride. And when we do, we discover that God is not waiting to condemn the humble heart. He is waiting to become our refuge. James wrote, “And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. … Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honour” (James 4:6-7, 10). 

Isaiah 16:4-5 reads, “Let our refugees stay among you. Hide them from our enemies until the terror is past. When oppression and destruction have ended and enemy raiders have disappeared, then God will establish one of David’s descendants as king. He will rule with mercy and truth. He will always do what is just and be eager to do what is right”. We pilgrims remember that, in all the mayhem of this turbulent time in history, Someone was coming to establish a Kingdom of mercy and truth, justice and righteousness. His name was, and is, Jesus, our wonderful Saviour. Unlike the Maobites, who had yet to experience the coming King, we know Him from His brief time on this earth. He came as a baby, subsequently living a life of austerity, but His love and compassion were limitless, and through the testimonies of His faithful disciples, we stand before Him, loved, saved and forgiven. We know Him. And we wait for His return, to complete the promise given so many years ago to a people suffering under foreign occupation. 

God is indeed “our refuge and strength”, but is our pride getting in the way? Are we preventing ourselves from entering into the refuge of rest that He promised? In all humility, we bow before Him today, confessing our pride and arrogance, and asking for forgiveness. Are we pilgrims facing into difficulties today, for which God has a solution, if only we would put aside our pride and embrace His provision?

Dear Lord, forgive us for the times when pride prevents us from admitting how much we need You. Help us to stop trusting in our own strengths and abilities. Teach us to come humbly into Your presence and to find our refuge, strength and security in You. Thank You that when we come to You, we know that we will never be turned away. Amen.

God’s Grace Through Ruth: A Moabite’s Legacy

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“This message came to me concerning Moab: In one night the town of Ar will be levelled, and the city of Kir will be destroyed.
Isaiah 15:1 NLT

King David conquered Moab, Israel’s neighbour, around 1040 BC, and that was how things stayed until soon after 853 BC when they successfully rebelled and remained a thorn in Israel’s side. In 583 BC they were conquered by the Babylonians and by 400 BC had been absorbed into the Nabataean empire and ceased to exist as a separate nation. Isaiah’s prophecy against Moab was probably written between 739 and 681 BC. The rest of chapters 15 and 16 provide an account of what was going to happen to Moab, an idolatrous nation that was, however, notable for its most famous person, Ruth. 

The Book of Ruth was possibly written by Samuel, as Jewish scholars claim, but it is not an unaminous conclusion. However, what we do know is that Ruth was King David’s great-grandmother (Matthew 1:5-6). The account of Ruth started in the time of the Judges, when a famine was present in Judah. “In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there. Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later, both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband” (Ruth 1:1-5).

What happened in Moab was an absolute disaster, because there was no social safety net to look after widowed women. Naomi, a Jewish woman and now a widow, could not have survived on her own, so she decided to return to Bethlehem, taking her daughter-in-law, Ruth, with her. Through the Book of Ruth, we can see how God used a foreign woman at just the right time in the ancestral lineage that led to the birth of Jesus. Ruth was a woman of remarkable qualities, as we read in Ruth 1:16, “But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. ‘ “ Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God”. Such devotion played out in the account of Ruth and her liaison with Boaz, through which a son arrived. “… And they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David” (Ruth 4:17). Ruth was a Moabite (historically an outsider to Israel), yet God chose her to be in the genealogy of King David, and ultimately Jesus. This highlights that God’s grace extends to all nations, races, and backgrounds.

Is there anything that we pilgrims can learn from Isaiah 15 and the Book of Ruth? There would seem to be three themes that run through this period in Israel’s history, the first being God’s sovereign providence at just the right time and in just the right lives. Naomi experienced immense bitterness after losing her husband and sons, but God used Ruth’s humble actions in the fields of Boaz to turn their despair into joy. It reminds believers that God is orchestrating events behind the scenes, even during times of grief. Perhaps we pilgrims are going through a time of grief ourselves, when all seems so dark, and when the loss of a loved one is affecting us deeply. For all we know, God is working behind the scenes to produce an outcome that will change our lives and those of our families. Jesus said, “God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). 

A second theme concerns the loyalty Ruth showed to her mother-in-law. Instead of pursuing her own interests, Ruth showed profound devotion by leaving her homeland to serve Naomi. As we know, Jesus left the comfort of eternity with His Father in Heaven to come to this world, taking on the form and limitations of a man, an act of breathtaking loyalty marked by His care and compassion for the human race. Ruth’s action was an example of the loyalty we have to Jesus, something that marks both the early disciples and us pilgrims today. 

The third theme concerns Jesus being the ultimate Redeemer. In the Book of Ruth, Boaz acted as a “kinsman-redeemer” (a relative who saves and provides for a destitute family), and he served as a beautiful Old Testament illustration of Jesus, who rescued humanity by paying the ultimate price for our salvation. Jesus is the ultimate redeemer because He paid the debt for sin that humanity cannot afford, rescuing believers from spiritual bankruptcy and bringing them into God’s family. We pilgrims were in a lost and hopeless state, spiritually destitute and unable to provide for ourselves. There is no spiritual equivalent of a social security net. Churches or religion cannot help. There is only one remedy for sin, and that is through Jesus, and we pilgrims bow at His feet this morning, deeply grateful for all that he did for us on the cross at Calvary. 

Dear Lord Jesus. There are no words sufficient to express our deep thanks to You today. We praise and worship You, and will do so forever. Amen.

Times of Trouble and Finding Security in God

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“This message came to me the year King Ahaz died: Do not rejoice, you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken— that the king who attacked you is dead. For from that snake a more poisonous snake will be born, a fiery serpent to destroy you! I will feed the poor in my pasture; the needy will lie down in peace. But as for you, I will wipe you out with famine and destroy the few who remain. Wail at the gates! Weep in the cities! Melt with fear, you Philistines! A powerful army comes like smoke from the north. Each soldier rushes forward eager to fight. What should we tell the Philistine messengers? Tell them, “The Lord has built Jerusalem; its walls will give refuge to his oppressed people.””
Isaiah 14:28-32 NLT

The first question today is “Who was King Ahaz”? Well, he reigned in Judah from 735 to 715 BC and was the 12th King of Judah. He is remembered for his disastrous alliance with the Assyrian Empire and deep involvement in idolatry, which brought heavy tributes and foreign religious practices into Jerusalem. The account of what happened during his reign can be found in 2 Chronicles 28. But it is worth noting that he abandoned true worship of God and added to it worship based on Baal, following the example of Israel’s kings. Somehow, the worship of God became integrated with the worship of Baal, and, faced with agricultural realities in Canaan, the Jews adopted Baal, the local storm and fertility god, as a rain-giver. They viewed Yahweh as the national covenant God, and Baal as a functional deity, often worshipping them side-by-side at local “high places”, a process referred to as syncretism. A really sad situation, but then we remember that we pilgrims live in a country where the national religion, Christianity, is being sidelined more and more by secularism and the introduction of other religions, such as Islam, through immigration. The worship of God in Judah and Israel was integrated with idol worship, and the merger resulted in death, destruction and exile for the Jews. Today, even the Bible-based worship of God is being diluted in some denominations by the introduction of secular and societal customs (idols and ideologies) that directly contradict the Word of God, and, as in the days of King Ahaz, it will not end well. We even find the abomination of occasional “multi-faith” worship services that include religious leaders from other religions sharing the platform with Christians. Christians today tend to believe that the Old Testament judgments on Jewish societies will not recur in modern times under the New Covenant, but such complacency may be ill-founded. We cannot ignore the prophecies in Revelation, because the plagues John described may occur sooner than we think. Jesus said that He was coming “soon”, but we don’t know how soon “soon” will be.

But what else can we find in our verses today? Isaiah wrote, “The Lord has built Jerusalem; its walls will give refuge to his oppressed people”. When trouble comes, our natural instinct is to look for a safe place. We may seek security in our finances, our health, our family, our abilities, or the people around us. Nations seek security in political alliances, military strength, and powerful leaders. Yet Isaiah reminds us that none of these things can provide lasting security.

The Philistines were rejoicing because the king who had oppressed them was dead. This king was Uzziah, whom Isaiah wrote about in chapter 6. King Uzziah had previously struck down the Philistines and broken down the walls of major cities such as Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod (see 2 Chronicles 26). The Philistines thought the danger had passed. But Isaiah warned them not to celebrate too quickly. One threat would be replaced by another. It was likely that this would be the Assyrians or perhaps King Hezekiah of Judah. Their confidence was misplaced because they were looking at changing circumstances rather than at the sovereign purposes of God.

How often do we do the same? We think that if one particular problem disappears, everything will be well. If our circumstances improve, our health improves, our finances become more secure, or a difficult situation is resolved, then we will finally have peace. But circumstances change. One problem may disappear only for another to take its place. Human strength fails. Political powers rise and fall. Financial security can disappear. Health can change. Even the people we depend upon cannot always be there for us. Isaiah points us towards something far more secure: “The Lord has built Jerusalem; its walls will give refuge to his oppressed people”. The security of God’s people did not ultimately depend upon kings, armies, alliances, or favourable circumstances. Their security rested in the Lord. And the same is true for us pilgrims today. Our greatest security is not found in the absence of trouble but in the presence of God.

Jesus never promised His followers a trouble-free life. In fact, He said: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Our confidence is not that nothing difficult will ever happen to us. Our confidence is that whatever happens, we belong to the Lord, because He is our refuge. When circumstances are uncertain, He remains faithful. When people disappoint us, He remains trustworthy. When our strength fails, His strength remains sufficient. When the future is unclear, His purposes remain secure.

The Philistines placed their hope in changing political circumstances. God’s people were called to place their hope in the unchanging character of the Lord. Perhaps today we pilgrims are facing uncertainty. We may be wondering what the future holds or how a particular situation will work out. Isaiah’s message is simple but powerful: Do not build your security on circumstances that can change. Build your life upon the God who never changes. 

The Psalmist wrote, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!” (Psalm 46:1-3). The safest place in an uncertain world is not a life without problems. It is a life hidden in God.

Dear Heavenly Father. Please forgive us for the times when we place our security in people, possessions, circumstances, or our own strength. Help us to remember that You alone are our true refuge. When life is uncertain and the future is unclear, teach us to trust in Your faithfulness and rest in Your sovereign care. Thank You, that whatever we face, we belong to You, and we are safe in Your hands. Amen.

God’s Unchanging Plans: Trust in His Purpose

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sworn this oath: “It will all happen as I have planned. It will be as I have decided. 
I have a plan for the whole earth, a hand of judgment upon all the nations.” The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken— who can change his plans? When his hand is raised, who can stop him?”
Isaiah 14:24, 26-27 NLT

God is a Planner. Life on earth does not proceed in a chaotic and random fashion, blown this way and that by the winds of adversity and the whims of sinful men. Daniel recorded some words spoken by a heathen king, Nebuchadnezzar, that put their finger on God’s sovereignty: “… I praised and worshipped the Most High and honoured the One who lives forever. His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’” (Daniel 4:34-35). Nebuchadnezzar finally realised who God was after a period of insanity. As we read today, perhaps we, too, can find some comfort in the same God whom Nebuchadnezzar found. The God who makes plans and keeps to them.

Firstly, it is not only God who makes plans. We human beings make plans every day. Some succeed; others have to be changed. Circumstances arise that we did not expect. People disappoint us. Doors that seemed open suddenly close. Life can take a direction we never anticipated. But God is different. The Lord said, “It will all happen as I have planned. It will be as I have decided. I have a plan for the whole earth”. These words were originally spoken about the defeat of Assyria, a powerful, cruel, and intimidating nation. From a human perspective, it seemed unstoppable, and yet God declared that Assyria’s power would be broken. The message from our verses today is clear: earthly powers may appear strong, but they are never stronger than God, because He is sovereign. There are the three “omni’s” concerning God. He is Omnipotent: God is all-powerful and has dominion over all things. He is Omniscient: God is all-knowing and has perfect, exhaustive knowledge of everything, including the past, present, and future. He is Omnipresent: God is everywhere at all times, intimately present throughout His creation. And He is a Planner, who produces perfect plans that cannot be changed. People everywhere, caught up in war zones, or suffering due to famine, earthquake or just political instability, may claim otherwise, but nothing happens without it being a part of God’s plans. Perhaps that is a view not shared by many fellow believers, but either God is all-powerful or He’s not, and the God I worship is not a weak God who is unable to withstand and direct the forces that exist in this world. The people in Israel may have cried out to God, thinking that he was unwilling to help them, but He was actually using another nation to punish them for their iniquities. 

But with all that is going on in the world today, this does not mean that we will always understand what God is doing. There will be times when circumstances confuse us, and we may wonder why God allows certain things to happen or why He does not answer our prayers as we hoped. Our confidence is not based on our ability to understand God’s purposes. Our confidence is based upon the character of the God who makes those purposes, and we know that He is faithful, wise, powerful, righteous and good. 

Isaiah wrote, “The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken— who can change his plans? When his hand is raised, who can stop him?” The answer is simple – no one. No enemy can defeat God’s purposes, and no circumstance can frustrate His plans. No human power can overturn His decisions. Nothing takes God by surprise, and nothing forces Him to abandon His purposes. This truth should bring great comfort to us pilgrims. There may be things happening in our lives today that we cannot understand, and the future may seem uncertain, with circumstances that may appear to be beyond our control. But they are never beyond God’s control. The same God who declared His purpose concerning Assyria is the God who holds our lives in His hands. We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we know the One who holds tomorrow. Therefore, you can trust Him. God’s purposes may unfold differently from what we expected. His timing may be different from ours. His ways may sometimes be mysterious. But His plans cannot be defeated.

So when life seems uncertain, remember the words of the Lord: “It will all happen as I have planned. It will be as I have decided”. 

Dear Lord, thank You that You are sovereign over all things. Forgive us for the times when we become anxious because we cannot see or understand what You are doing. Help us to trust Your wisdom, Your goodness and Your power. When circumstances seem uncertain, remind us that nothing can frustrate Your purposes or stop Your hand. Help us to rest confidently in You, knowing that Your plans will ultimately prevail. In Your precious name. Amen.