Settled!

Settled!

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Isaiah 40:4‭-‬5 KJV

Let it be known and established today that God has no favourites when it comes to sin. He punishes it wherever and in whomever it is found. He did it to David, even to Ahab, and most vividly turned his face away when his own Son bore the sins of the world. Don't ever think it will be different for you, simply because you 'hear' God; his dealings with Israel show that God is NOT a respecter of persons. 

In context, this passage started with a word of encouragement to Jerusalem, that its people will be restored from captivity. They had been punished, but now they were to be restored. In the midst of these words, we read today's extract. God punishes sin, but He also shows mercy. God punishes sin, but He remembers our weak frame and knows we are dust. However, he warns of the eternal effect of sin, and charges us to return to and remain in God, who is able to secure our lives in eternity. 

These are strange times; sin is at an all time high, yet God's voice keeps speaking, warning us that He is coming back. For all who will take heed and learn, know this: God is able to keep his promises. All that we know now will change, and nothing will ever remain the same. If the physical world can be impacted as it is now, with the way we live, travel and work forever changed, imagine what it would be like when The Lord returns. Valleys and mountains will undergo changes; the familiar will lose its appeal; the ununsual will become the new normal, and the glory of the Lord will be made manifest. 

As it is now, hasn't the unusual become usual? Are we not experiencing strange things now? This is a time to remember the Creator of the ends of the earth, the One who holds all things together and who will judge all the earth according to His standards. You do not want to stand before the judgement seat of God to discover that you had pursued the wrong things. 

God's glory will be made manifest, with or without your cooperation. His day is coming soon, and all eyes will see it. Jesus had come once in the flesh, and bore the consequences of our sin. Sin has been dealt a fatal blow by the death and resurrection of Jesus, and a direct line to God has been sealed. The Word of God has spoken extensively about this season as well as the Great and Terrible day that is coming, and my ideal response is to carefully examine my ways to see if I align with God's expectations for me. Does my life presently reflect the glory of God? Is God visible in the outflow of my life? Is His will my own pursuit and priority or are there other competing interests? If the trumpet was to sound at this very moment, where would I end up? May the Lord make me worthy of heaven at the end of these strange times. His time of favour is here.