Isaiah 45:5-7

“I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe; I the Lord do all these things.” vs. 7

This prophet has already said that Cyrus, the Persian king, was God’s anointed, the one chosen by God to let the exiles return from exile and rebuild Jerusalem’s temple and walls. Now he goes a step further and says that the Lord forms light and creates darkness.  And then he even adds that the Lord makes weal (a state of being good or happy) and creates woe. This is mind-blowing stuff!

We regularly attribute good to God. It’s no stretch to say that the Lord is the source of all good. But Isaiah is saying that all things have their origin in God, including darkness and woe. There’s no dualism here. This is a strictly monotheistic view of the universe. All things have their origin in God. While this may sound strange to us, it is actually quite comforting. We don’t live in a world where good and evil forces are fighting to have their way with us. Everything is of God, and all things are connected. Light and darkness are dependent on each other, and they are always going to be a part of our existence. In the same way, weal and woe are partners in our experience of life. 

If things were always good we wouldn’t even know it! We don’t have any idea of what good is unless we have brushed up against woe, and vice versa. That’s why people of faith give thanks to God for everything, everyday!

Thought for the Day: How can woe be a blessing?