Isaiah 22:12-13 NIV
The Lord, the Lord Almighty,
called you on that day
to weep and to wail,
to tear out your hair and put on sackcloth.
But see, there is joy and revelry,
slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep,
eating of meat and drinking of wine!
"Let us eat and drink," you say,
"for tomorrow we die!"
People tend to respond to threats and problems in several ways. Some ignore the problem thinking that the place where they are or the position they hold is safe. It might be the town or country in which they live, the family that surrounds them, or even the government to which they look for security. It could be the job they have, the title they carry or the degrees they have earned that brings them a sense of invincibility. The truth is, none of these things guarantee safety.
In this chapter the "Valley of Vision" is not safe. The very place people go to hear from God is a place in which they are hiding or from which they are fleeing in fear. Likewise, in the end of the chapter the leader that is secure in his position will fall. There is no security in places, positions or people. So what do we do in the face of these insecurities? Evidently the response of some was, "Let's party hard because tomorrow we're going to die."
The proper response would have been repentance, not partying. I hear people boast that they want to go to Hell because that's where all their friends are. That is foolishness. I see believers justify sin because they can't help themselves or because they can always ask for forgiveness. That too is foolishness. Jesus quoted, "You shall not test God." Do we not hear him, or do we just choose to ignore him?
The proper response to pain, threat, trouble, judgement, jeopardy, or simply difficulty in life is to turn toward God, not away from him. In the most vulnerable places and circumstances in life, there is no security anyway but in Him.
Father, I admit that my natural response to problems is often resignation instead of faith. Forgive me. I am surrounded on all sides today by people I love who are hurting, grieving and struggling with death, conflict, and troubles beyond their ability to change. May they find peace, assurance and security in you.
By His grace,
Rick Weinert
District Superintendent
EFCA Northern Mtn District
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