The Death of Evil, the Birth of Hope
O Lord, your anger frightens us. When we read such passages of scripture as this one, we are made uneasy. We move on quickly to happier lines and brighter verses. Through your prophet Isaiah here you speak words of “disgrace,” “vengeance,” “darkness,” “disaster” and “ruin,” of “fire that consumes,” and “the power of the flame.”
We don’t want to think about you in this way. We want to think of you as a kindly old grandfather who indulges us in our sin and who scolds softly with a twinkle in his eyes that shows us that your anger is only make-believe.
But also we want a world without evil and violence, hatred and oppression. We want a world from which all that is hurtful and greedy and full of sin has been removed. We want a world where “the wolf and the lamb shall live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat.” [Isaiah 11:6]
Help us to see how your judgment against evil and your purging away of all sin is part of your redemption of the world into that kingdom of peace and goodness. More than that help us to willingly allow you to cleanse our own lives of evil and sin, so that we will have hearts that are pure, peaceful, and loving. Show us that your discipline in our lives is the way that you are lovingly preparing us for citizenship in the Peaceable Kingdom of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and our Savior. Amen.
©2012 Gary A. Chorpenning; all rights reserved.
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