Today’s scripture: Isaiah 19:18-25 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Ciemone Easter-Rose):
While the Book of Isaiah is considered a book of prophecy, it is less its prophetic nature that I concern myself with than the revealing of the nature of God expressed within it. Initially in today’s passage, things seem to be going as they should be. There is a common language being spoken across five cities in Egypt, and these cities are all aligned spiritually. God is present in these cities and he responds to their calls for help when they need it. God is known among them. God delivers them from their oppressors–God saves them. And then–wait, what?–God “strikes” Egypt–and then heals them. Huh? Okay, cue the confusion. So, what is happening here and what is this saying about God?
When the people turn toward God, they are listened and responded to (v. 20-21). The phrasing in verse 22 suggests that there was to be a more complex pattern that would play out between God and the people of Egypt though. The passage suggests that at times, the people of Egypt would not always turn toward God as they should, but perhaps would actually turn against God at times, as verse 22 states “they will return to the Lord”. So, why is God’s response always to strike and then heal them? Why not just snuff them out altogether for their rebellion? This answer seems to be found in verse 25, which states “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my heritage.” There is clearly an important relationship that exists between God and these three nations. Perhaps this is why God has chosen striking over snuffing.
This dynamic between God and Egypt reminded me a lot of my parents and the ways in which they chose to deal with me during my unquestionably rebellious teenage years. I came up with some pretty asinine ways of testing my parent’s limits. For example, when I turned 18 halfway through my senior year of high school, I made the faulty assumption that I could disobey my extended, but still existent school night curfew by opting to stay over at my girlfriend’s house rather than coming home at all. One morning, after such a forbidden overnight, I went outside to find that my vehicle, which I had ever so astutely parked in front of my girlfriend’s apartment building, had a club locked in placed on the steering wheel. You see, during the night, my parents had done a drive by, spotted my car, and utilized the spare keys to access the vehicle and lock the club device on the steering wheel. Strike. My parents were trying to teach me a lesson, and it allowed me to clearly see that if I turned away from them, then I’d lose in more ways than one. But a situation like that probably also could have been avoided with better communication and more work on our relationship. It can be the same way with God. While our own rebellious nature may prevent us from being spared the blows that we deserve at times for falling out of relationship with God, the message from Isaiah is clear–God always heals after striking. Improving our communication with God and strengthening that relationship can help us learn lessons by growing closer to God as opposed to having to suffer the strikes.
Thought for the Day: Even if you feel like God is trying to strike you today, remember that God will also respond to your cry for help with healing.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.