This week was both historic and emotional for our country. Many are weeping and many are rejoicing. One thing that has become abundantly clear to me is that we are a nation that desperately desires security and stability. While we are a nation divided on how to attain it, it is something we all are pursuing. The problem is that no matter how good or bad any political party is their promises of stability eventually fail some or all of us. So as we enter into the first weekend after the election I’m wondering, what do we look to for stability in life?
The book of Isaiah has a timely reminder for us on this idea of stability.
“And He will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure.” (Isa. 33:6)
Commentators point out that this verse was not written in a vacuum, but rather during a very difficult time for the southern kingdom of Judah, which you can read about in 2 Kings 18-19. They were facing an uncertain future. The nation of Assyria was harassing and taunting King Hezekiah, Judah, and God Himself. The nation was bankrupt, the outlook was grim, and their stability was basically non-existent.
Into this insecure situation God spoke through Isaiah about stability. It was a stability based on the anticipation and expectation of the coming Messiah (Isa. 11:1-5). He (Messiah God) would be the stability of their times.
The Lord is His people’s resource of security. He doesn’t just provide the bare necessities. He provides in abundance. He gives the practical resources for life. What exactly does He provide in abundance?
Salvation – A divine sufficiency for every emergent need.
Wisdom – Practical understanding and management of life.
Knowledge – Of the truth which allows us to make correct and wise choices.
He also provides the fear of the Lord. If you’re looking at this verse in your translation of the Bible it probably says that the fear of the Lord is Zion’s treasure or the key to this treasure, which leads one to assume that the fear of the Lord is how one receives the Lord’s salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. How do I get stability from the Lord? I fear him. Yet literally it should read: “The fear of the Lord, that is his treasure” where ‘his’ is the Lord.
So what is this emphasizing? To fear the Lord with a true fear (a reverence and awe that impacts how we live) is not a human emotion worked up but a GIFT He gives to those whom he delights to bless. It is a gift of His grace, not something we can work for: as 29:13 emphasizes, “Their fear of me is a commandment taught by men.”
How do we apply this? What do we DO to live and experience the stability the Messiah God provides? Well, what did Hezekiah do? He cried out to the LORD, falling before the throne of grace (2 Kings 19:14-19). Do you long for stability? Look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of faith. Look to the Messiah!
Stability is found in the Person of God; not in our circumstances, what we do, where we live, the strength of our economy, or if our president is a democrat or republican.
I started by asking, what do we look to for stability in life? I want to end by asking you, in WHOM do you find stability for life?
Penny of a Thought 