February 19, 2011

2-19-11 Saturday, 7:45 am Springfield, 53 degrees, cloudy.

I just got off the phone from a delightful conversation with my friend Malcolm in Birmingham England. He saw that I had fired up my computer, and he rang me up on Skype. Audrey and I hope to visit them this year, as their travel is restricted by health concerns.

Yesterday I arose at 4:43 am and had driven to Columbia by 8:45 to conduct interviews with pastors who are en route to ordination, and this year are continuing as “commissioned” elders. Following those interviews I stopped near New Bloomfield and visited friends who were charter members at SunRise. We had delightful conversation over lunch. Back in Springfield I visited the ICU where one of our members has been for weeks. Today I will focus on writing sermon, preparation for our HCI work next week with our coach, Doug Anderson, and congregational care. Upward basketball will be filling the building with children, youth and their adult supporters from now until 8:00 tonight.I always enjoy these Saturdays with Upward.

Isaiah 31

This chapter continues the denunciation of trusting in Egypt that was begun in chapter 30. Verse one specifically mentions trust in horses and chariots. Apparently introduced into the Middle East culture around 1800 BC, horses brought an advance in military capabilities. Chariots provided a moving, shielded platform, and a growing use of cavalry forces multiplied the impact of the number of men. No matter what the weapons, the clear point is that Israel as a nation has turned from trusting God, to trusting people and weapons instead of God. I see this happen repeatedly today, both individually with firearms, and nationally with weapons of mass destruction. I own a rifle and a shotgun, and am careful to keep my trust in God for my protection. In a fallen world weapons seem to always be necessary, and reliance upon the supreme power of the universe is clearly the best orientation.

Isaiah repeats his familiar style with first the announcement of how foolish it is for God’s people to trust in anyone or anything else, and then extends the constant invitation to return to following God. Verse 6 says: “Return to Him from whom you have deeply defected, O sons of Israel.” May the people of God in my generation be constantly invited to turn back to trusting Him, and to casting away all their idols and any alliances made which detracts from trust in God.