Hope in God, stronger than death

Every day we're reading or listening to part of the Bible together and sharing thoughts with you. Today it’s Bern Leckie:

What did I like about today’s passage?

Although Isaiah is bleak at times, when he praises and celebrates God’s goodness, he really goes for it. What strikes me the most in this passage is his declarations about dealing with death.

I imagine when most of us are faced with death – perhaps when we or someone we love are in extreme danger or have a serious illness – we might seek God to try and avoid death. I’d guess that would also be true of Israel living through some of the disastrous upheavals Isaiah was prophesying. But is that the limit of God’s power, to help us avoid death?

Not according to Isaiah. God’s promise to his people was not to save them temporarily from death, but permanently. Even their graves would not be their ends. “Your dead will live, Lord; their bodies will rise…” That is a lot of faith to declare, in a death-filled world, that God really wants us to partner with him into eternity.

However, it seems that people had also been thinking about defeating death independently of God. Jerusalem’s rulers boasted to have made an agreement with death, seeking refuge with false gods. That sounds like an appealing bargain. So how could people know whether to trust these gods or the one God of Israel for eternal life?

I love that God addressed this directly by telling people what he was doing and how they could test it. They could rely on “a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation.” And what kind of life would result? “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line.” God’s power could be tested by justice being restored.

What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?

The foundation stone sounds a lot like Jesus! God knew that laws alone were not making people align with him, so he would provide a physical help. Build on this stone, line up with it, and we will be able to measure justice and righteousness in our own lives at last. God allowed his promise to be tested, not only through the quality of Jesus’ life, but through the fact that he was first to demonstrate resurrection from death. We can follow him into life.

What am I going to do differently as a result?

This reminds me that faith in Jesus is necessary but not the end of God’s desire for me. Is my life measurably just and righteous? In stressful times ahead as people worry about death and may panic (check the supermarket shelves…), I need to trust more in God, rely on him for security and have faith that we can love our neighbours where increasingly needed.

Who am I going to share this with?

My family as we observe and reflect on where practical love is needed in our community.