Blessed Dichotomy

Hail? What if it's hailing? Where did that come from?

These were some of my questions this morning, as I was just about to grab my personal verse of the day out of Isaiah 32. It was lovely. Verse 16 reminds us that one of the promises of being among the righteous (and we are - because of Christ!) is a fruitful field. There are no stipulations. It seems plain and simple. We are righteous through Christ, so we get to live in a fruitful field that continues to produce hope and peace.

The next verse grabbed my attention, too. Verse 17 says that righteousness will continue to produce peace and that the end result of that righteousness is quietness and assurance (hope) forever. I love that last word in that verse. Forever. We won't wake up some morning to learn that God's turned off the spout of peace or hope. 

The prophet continues in verse 18 by saying that God's people will live in a peaceful place and they will have secure dwellings and quiet resting places. I like all of that. Yes please! We know that He is the anchor and constant hope for our souls, and these verses solidify that.

But then verse 19 seems somewhat random. It says, even if hail comes down on the forest. That's an emotional whiplash waiting to happen! Here I am reading all about hope, peace, and rest in the One I put my trust - but it might hail. What?

That's the "dichotomy" I love. God never paints a picture for us that would lead us to believe we'll get saved, then live in Eutopia, where nothing bad ever happens again. Most of the scriptures we cling to just to make it through each day provide us with the stark reality that things are not always perfect.

Scriptures never lead us to believe that when we trust God we'll live the rest of our days in bliss. Instead, they always point us to God as our anchor when things don't go smoothly. He is the calm in the storm. Isaiah 43 reminds us He is with us in the fires and floods life brings. In fact, Jesus promised us in John 14 that we would have trouble in this world. But His peace would remain. (John 16:33)

So, even if it hails in our forests, we can trust in God. Even if the storms come, our anchor of hope holds. Even if the fires, the floods, and all sorts of troubles come (and it does every day for caregivers), He's still got us and He still keeps our souls.

Today, I will remind myself that the anchor holds and that the Anchor is holding me. My thoughts will be on how this world is imperfect. If it were perfect, I wouldn't be allowed to stay! (smile, neither would you!) My thoughts and meditations will be on how God walks with me through everything life throws at me. He doesn't give up. He doesn't quit. He doesn't whine about it or about my whining. He just remains faithful. He will walk to me in the middle of the storm. He will walk with me through the fire. I can trust Him in this furnace for one more day. Will you join me?

 Peace Out! It's in the Bible is a 31-day devotional that is focused on letting God's peace reign in our hearts - no matter what. You can get the eBook from my shop at Buy Me A Coffee, or the print and Kindle versions are available in my Amazon Shop.