March 26, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way and they seek their own gain. ‘Come,’ each one cries, ‘let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better.’” (Isaiah 56.11-12)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

As we read again this passage from Isaiah, we are drawn back to the twenty-second chapter of Isaiah and hear the people’s response to the impending threat of the enemy against them. They declare, “Let us eat, drink and make merry for tomorrow we will die.” (22.13b) Instead of putting on “sackcloth and ashes,” instead of “presenting themselves contrite before the Lord,” instead of strengthening their resolve “to trust the Lord and His promise to protect and deliver them,” the people gave up and gave in. They decided to sate their flesh instead of embracing the Spirit. This is why God hated their sacrifices. Their “heart” was far from Him. If we remember from chapter 22 at this point, God declares (verse 14), “Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for.” Why would there be no atonement for their sin of betraying the faith entrusted to them by God? Isn’t it because their faith was in the “nothing.” They trusted in what could never satisfy, empower and protect them. They were more willing to suffer in futility until it became a delusion. We see the transformation come to fruition in today’s verse (56.12), “‘Come,’ each one cries, ‘let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better.’”

Isn’t this the way of sin? From the beginning, the Enemy of God and humanity (indeed of all creation) has purposed to defeat God by convincing humanity “death is nothing.” The Serpent queried Eve, “Surely God did not mean you would DIE.” Of course, Adam and Eve had not understanding of the word “death” nor the depth of the “threat of death.” All they knew was God’s word calling for obedience and that there was a consequence for disobedience. The Word was given as a ministry of trust. Regardless of the consequence, the presence of “trust” should remain the central focus of our lives. Psalm 118 is one example of this truth about trust where it says “TRUST in the LORD, He is good and His mercy endures forever.” This was evident for the future generations descended from Adam and Eve. Even though they sinned and put their trust in themselves to explore the invitation of the Serpent to defy God’s Word, they did confess their sins. It was a confession of blame but they claimed that they were a willing part of the problem. Because they confessed their sins because they were ashamed, God showed mercy on them. In the gaining of the knowledge that there was a difference between “good” (following the will of God and living into the purpose for which we are created) and “evil” (denying that God’s will is the ultimate definition of purpose for our lives), Adam and Eve understood that had gone against God’s Word. The presumed goal of “equality with God” demonstrated that “equality with God was not a thing to be grasped.” Does that sound familiar? Yes, Paul wrote this profession of Christ who in His very nature was God accepting that “equality with God was not a thing to be grasped.” (Philippians 2.6) In this, we understand that Jesus as the Christ would not exploit His divine nature (spirit) to satisfy His human nature (flesh). He was willing to sacrifice His flesh (the vessel made to house the Spirit of God which was His identity by faith) for the “good” of God. It was His purpose. It was His meaning. It was His ministry.

Instead of accepting the axiom of “humanity” in the face of defeat and/or annihilation which said “eat, drink and make merry for tomorrow we may die” which led to “eat, drink and make merry because who knows tomorrow will be better,” Jesus accepted the Word of God and became willing to demonstrate “no greater love is there than this that a man would lay down his lie for the sake of another.” We hear it in the Garden prayer as Jesus presented Himself before God the Father. He said in that moment of confession, “Father, if it is possible let this cup pass from Me,” (flesh) and then quickly transitioned to “Yet, it is not My will that should be done but Yours.” (spirit) We can hear it in Jesus’ “voice,” that His will was to survive but not at all cost. He was human and divine. He was flesh and spirit. At the very least these two natures should be balanced but if one was to outweigh the other, it would be the way of the Spirit. We see this on the Cross as He uttered His last words, “Into Your hands, I release My Spirit.” It was the profession of ultimate faith and a denial of the power of the flesh to stand against the will of God. That profession we know as authentic love. In that love, Jesus made Himself as nothing as only He can do. He, in whose image all things were made, truly emptied Himself of all life to become the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He trusted God implicitly and explicitly. For that trust, God allowed Him to rest from all His labors on the Sabbath which had been made for Him. Imagine that. Jesus, as the Christ, experienced true rest in God as the fulfillment of the Sabbath. The choice is offered to us to do the same. It is impossible to do without being “in Christ.” Even now, in our flesh, it seems difficult and nearly impossible to experience such “rest.” We may consider that the only way to do so is “to die,” or worse “to satisfy the flesh today believing that tomorrow will be better.” The truth is this, mighty ones of God, that the only way to find such “rest” is to die to self and live for Christ. In doing so, we do die (in that we do not allow the flesh to rule) and tomorrow will be better (for the promise of God is assured and made evident in the resurrection of Jesus the Christ.) This is the only “way, truth and life” which leads to the fulfillment of the good promise and the promise that the opposite is equally true.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness which we know is folly but righteous works which declare Your glory and further witness the truth that can set all who believe free from death. So may we live by the name of Jesus our Christ. AMEN.