Isaiah 12:2-6

“Surely God is my salvation;  I will trust, and will not be afraid,for the Lord God is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.” vs. 2

During the lifetime of the prophet Isaiah, the country of Israel was attacked and conquered by the Assyrians. Thousands of refugees from the north flooded Jerusalem and the land of Judah. Egypt was flexing its muscles to the southwest. A new power, Babylon, was rising in the east. Prospects did not look good for Isaiah’s homeland. But he did not lose faith, and he certainly did not despair. He writes a psalm for the people proclaiming his continued trust in the Lord, the source of his salvation. Nations have a way of trying to assert their dominance in our world too, and we’re reminded of that every day. Powerful countries are flexing their muscles and piling up stores of weapons. Since our country is one of them we might be tempted to put our trust in our own power and might. But that would be shortsighted. History tells us that Assyria, Egypt, and Babylon were all conquered and destroyed. Only Judah survived! The God connection is not to be trifled with–and we would be well advised to follow Isaiah’s direction and put our trust in the Lord, the one source of salvation and healing for our broken world. It’s not easy! When times get tough, most folks would rather have bombs than a bible. It seems impotent to rely on our prayers, even if that is the way of Jesus.

Thought for the Day: What do I trust for my salvation?