The Weekly Word - A Devotion for the Week of February 8
Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord. (Isaiah 11:9)
As you read this verse from Isaiah, your response might be one of skepticism or outright unbelief. It seems like a completely over-the-top statement, doesn’t it? To envision a world in which there is no pain, no violence, no illness, no death and no destruction seems impossible, especially when we look at the state of our world today. From the more than two million people who have died from COVID-19 across the globe in the past 11 months, to the civil war in Ethiopia, to the racial unrest in our own country, our world is fraught with pain, suffering, injustice and destruction. How can any good come of this, we might wonder?
But God’s promise to us is that someday His kingdom will indeed be a world of peace, compassion, love and everlasting life. It will be a world in which long-time enemies forgive and unite, a world free of war, harm, evil and grief.
It’s a hard “someday” to imagine. And this vision grows even more challenging when we realize that God expects us to work with Him to help bring this vision into reality -- not just someday, but today. As Jesus’ reminds us in His prayer, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.” We are Jesus’ hands and feet on Earth, collaborating with Him to bring His vision to fruition right now.
Let’s ask ourselves how we can bring this vision of peace, unity and love one tiny step closer to reality today. Who might we need to forgive? To whom might we need to ask forgiveness? To whom can we show compassion? Where might we sow the seeds of love? Let us begin with this.
God’s kingdom on Earth begins right here, right now, with us.
Lord Jesus, show me how I can help bring the peace, love and unity of Your kingdom into my own small slice of the world today. Amen.