Scripture

Isaiah 32:1-5 ESV

Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice. Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land.

Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed, and the ears of those who hear will give attention. The heart of the hasty will understand and know, and the tongue of the stammerers will hasten to speak distinctly. The fool will no more be called noble, nor the scoundrel said to be honorable.

Consider

In the wake of this week’s shocking assault on the U.S. Capitol and a year turbulent with anger, fear, shattered dreams, and broken lives, our nation longs for the relief of righteous rule. We are the weary land described in Isaiah’s passage. Scorched by the winds of hatred and violence that have swept through our communities and set neighbor against neighbor, we are desperate as a people for God’s mighty arm to shelter us and his living water to revive us.

The prophet describes the people under righteous rule as being free to see what they see and hear what they hear. In such a kingdom fools and scoundrels have no power to deceive or manipulate. Hypocrites are exposed and expelled; truth is spoken openly without fear of reprisal. The king’s righteousness merits his authority to rule and compels the love and trust of those whom he shelters.

We know, both from Scripture and from history, that no human government can live up to God’s standards of righteous rule. As our nation observes the political transfer of powers, let us take comfort in the knowledge that our God reigns supreme with perfect righteousness over our hearts and lives. Let us resist the temptation to place our hope in the fragile promises of our government leaders and instead look with confident expectancy toward the day when every knee shall bow at the name of Jesus and we will enjoy the freedom of seeing with our eyes and hearing with our ears the glorious promises of God at last fulfilled in our midst.

In the meantime, let us live as enlightened people, citizens of a nobler kingdom with the righteous standards of God written on our minds and on our hearts. Let us love God and our neighbors ever more deeply. Let us repent on behalf of our nation and pray for the healing of America’s war-torn citizenry, as in this partial paraphrase of David’s Psalm 51:

Have mercy on America, O God,

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

blot out our many transgressions.

Wash us thoroughly from our iniquities,

and cleanse us from our sin!

For we know our transgressions,

and our sin is ever before us.

Against you, O God, and you only, have we sinned

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you may be justified in your words

and blameless in your judgment.

Wash us, O Righteous One,

and we shall be whiter than snow.

Only God can provide the righteous rule that our troubled country needs.

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Reflect

Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 18:21-24

Ponder

What sin of America weighs heaviest on my heart? Let me confess the sin on behalf of myself and our country, and seek God’s forgiveness and mercy.