Isaiah 55:10-11

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven…making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;” vss. 10-11a

For the prophet Isaiah there was a kind of inevitability to the goodness and generosity of the Lord. At least that was the pattern that he saw in the creation. The natural forces that sustain life have been built into the very fabric of the universe, and his observation was correct. Granted, weather patterns like the El Nino are notoriously unpredictable, but in general, in spite of floods and droughts, it all works together for good.

Because of that built-in goodness Isaiah believed that humans could trust in the goodness of God to sustain them in their life together. They would not be forgotten or left to languish in whatever captivity they were experiencing. The people of Israel would be returned to their land and joy would fill their hearts. Because God is good they could count on it.

What a blessing it is to have that kind of hope for the future! We all know that adversity can come our way and we can experience the ugliness that comes with brokenness. But we know that this creation has been founded in goodness. Indeed, the Divine Presence is the essence of good, and ultimately, in spite of our situation, that goodness will break into our lives and bring peace beyond our expectation or understanding.

Thought for the Day: Where will I see the goodness of God today?