Day 251

Isaiah 1:1‐2:22; 2 Corinthians 10:1‐18; Psalm 52:1‐9; Proverbs 22:26‐27

Heartbreaking Soul Shaking

Isaiah receives a word from the Lord that immediately connects with the hearts of so many parents: “I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me.”

God was speaking about His children Israel but perhaps Isaiah knew from his own personal experience, or from extended family, how heartbreaking it is to raise rebellious children. Every criminal we read about in the newspaper, or whose story is on the evening news, is someone’s child. It goes even to a deeper place when the parents seem to be good, solid, God-fearing, and grace-filled people in their own right. Surely their hopes and dreams for their children include them becoming like verse 8 in the Psalm: “But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.” But something goes wrong. Rebellion takes them away from their parents’ hopes and dreams. All of us who are parents can relate to that special pain – if we allow God’s Spirit to connect us.

On another level, it is all of our stories. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). All of us are rebellious children, until we invite Jesus into our lives to live as Lord. Then, under His lordship and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we begin to give up our right to rebel, replacing rebellion for discipleship. Again, from the Psalm, verse 9: “I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good.” Even as a loving parent never gives up hope, so, too, does God never give up on us.

The Rev. Dr. Richard Bordin