Rachel Fisher, Children’s Communications Specialist

Isaiah 59:1-4, 16 (NIV)
1 Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save,
 nor his ear too dull to hear.
2 But your iniquities have separated
 you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you,
 so that he will not hear.
3 For your hands are stained with blood,
 your fingers with guilt.
Your lips have spoken falsely,
 and your tongue mutters wicked things.
4 No one calls for justice;
 no one pleads a case with integrity.
They rely on empty arguments, they utter lies;
 they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.

16 He saw that there was no one,
 he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;
so his own arm achieved salvation for him,
 and his own righteousness sustained him.

Reflection:

Allow me to tell you a story about a situation in which I can neither confirm nor deny I had involvement… Person A is very fortunate to have people who care about them, one of whom we will call Person B. Person A is in a great mood, as there is simply no reason not to be happy. Person A encounters an equally pleasant Person B and begins conversing about…anything, the subject does not matter….but Person B says something that does not please Person A. Suddenly, Person A becomes defensive and short-tempered–causing great confusion for Person B–as they are unaware why there has been a sudden shift in tone. Person A and Person B soon begin to argue, fixating on ensuring their counterpart not only understands their misery but also experiences it themselves. Both walk away feeling resentful, their disagreement defeating both of their otherwise sunny dispositions.

Spoiler alert, Person A is me, and Person B is probably every single loved one of mine at some point or another.

I cannot tell you how many times a week, sometimes even a day, I spar and spat over absolutely nothing. Why am I programmed to be so affected by so little? Why can I not simply move on when I feel slighted, or better yet, give my loved ones grace and the benefit of a doubt? Why do I consistently hurt others’ feelings because deep down I want them to be upset, too?

According to the Bible, I am not alone in my flaws.

In the time of Isaiah, the people of Israel were in great discord. The threat of outside invasion plagued God’s people, yet civil war depleted their resources and strength as a nation. The world around them was a disaster, yet they could not manage to keep their own people together. Seems like a pretty relevant depiction of today, if you ask me. Why then, if we are destined to quarrel with even those we hold near and dear, do we even bother making peace? Is there no way we can overcome our own vices?

The answer, Isaiah reveals, is no, we cannot. Jesus, however, can.

Human beings have such a knack for ruining God’s perfection that God sent the only hero that could rescue us from ourselves. Yes, Jesus saved us when he was crucified and resurrected. But his sacrifice did not end on the cross. Day after day, generation after generation, Jesus continues to redeem our downfalls, restoring relationships with his incredible mercy. Think about it, why do we continue to forgive or be forgiven ourselves? If Person A being wronged is so reprehensible, why do we still tolerate it and keep Person B in our lives?

Because God so loved the world he sent his only son, Person C (yes, C as in Christ), whose love is mightier than any human sin. Through his great power are we guaranteed salvation in Heaven…and peace on Earth.

Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for saving us from ourselves. Help us to treat everyone with kindness and grace, just as you do us. Forgive us for our frequent mistakes, and make us gentler of spirit with those we love. Let us always remember that we are nothing without you, Lord. Amen.