I’ve been lost in the wonder of Isaiah 5 & 6 for the last month. You are probably familiar with the beautiful scene of encounter that Isaiah has with God in chapter 6. . .”I saw the Lord. . .and the train of His robe filled the temple.”

I’m seeing that the context of that great encounter is really important.  Isaiah and the people of Israel were in a dark place.  In fact, chapter 5 is filled with six “Woes” (think the very opposite of the “Blesseds” in the Beatitudes).  The Lord, through the prophet Isaiah, declares 6 stinging indictments against the people of Israel.  God pronouces judgement against their greed, indulgence, presumption, perversion, pride and injustice.  The vineyard which was Israel, was only producing bad fruit.

And then, as if things weren’t bad enough, King Uzziah died.  He was a good king that had reigned 52 years, and he was a friend of Isaiah.

Culture was twisted and the King was dead. . .But God is alive and He is seated on a throne!

One of the wonderful things about our Father’s world is that, no matter how black the horizon or how frightening the evil forces of social disintegration that appear to be destroying all around us that is good, if one looks closely enough, one always can find signals of hope somewhere. A Good Friday and a Black Saturday are never the last word in God’s story for us.

We must remember that even on that day when the Sun hid its face in shame before what appeared to be the ultimate victory of all evil, that day had within it the best of all promises—though not everyone could see it. History remembers that Friday as Good. The reason: Our Father, who is the first and last Word in every event, will not leave himself without a witness, and that witness is one of hope. There is always Good News to be found somewhere in his world if we will just look. We may need to search a bit because the divine hand often is found at work in the most unexpected places. – Dr. Dennis Kinlaw

I’m not sure I can remember a more dark time in the world.  We are threatened by violence at home, evil worldwide, disease and debt.  Here’s the good news. . .this is a prime setting for encounter!

According to 2 Chronicles 16:9, God searches the earth to show himself strong to those who are loyal to Him!  Posture your heart and focus your eyes. . .It’s in God’s DNA to reveal Himself.  I am praying that today you will find the divine hand working in the most unexpected places.