Judgement, Salvation, and Hope: these are three of the words that title this Isaiah Scripture in the Bible I am using to study these passages. They are words we talk about often in church-related contexts and are concepts we explore as we build and maintain the foundation of our faith. I have a personal belief that we can never truly comprehend the full depth and breadth of these words’ meanings as they relate us with God the Sovereign, Christ our Savior, and the Holy Spirit, our Sustainer.
God gives us direction to live virtuous and humble lives, Christ shows us how, and the Spirit grants us mercy and allows us grace as we try, and try again, and try again. When my congregation and I confess on Sundays that “we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves,” I am susceptible to a visceral feeling of dejection: the condemnation of our judgment as human beings, the constant reminder that we will always fall short. However, there remains a choice to trust in God’s promise of salvation.
We turn to Scripture to find comfort (Isaiah 66:13a) and to remember that God’s promise of grace remains through our doubt.
We pray the prayer Jesus taught us and profess to God, “your will be done,” not only in supplication, but as a commitment to trust. Christ not only shows us how we should love our God and our neighbors but—with the acknowledgement of our perpetual struggle to measure up—takes our condemnation to the grave and frees us to be vessels of God’s will to bring God’s kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven.”
Instead of hyper-focusing on shortcomings, we are called to live generously, serve humbly, and to do just and equitable work. This is blessed and fruitful work (Isaiah 65:23). This is our purpose. This is the work of the Church.
Mark Hustedt (he/him) lives in Charlotte, NC and has a goal to be in the “Friends of the Congregation” section of all the Charlotte-area church directories. He works full-time as a geologist and part-time for the NC Synod and ELCA as a Young Adult ministry leader; he serves on NC Synod Staff and is the Mission Developer of Connect NC—Young Adult Outreach. He and his wife, Rebecca, love to travel, spend time with family, and watch Survivor in their free time.
To Consider
What does the phrase “theology of the cross” mean in your own words?
Who or what do you turn to when you’re feeling down? When was the last time you had a vulnerable interaction with someone you don’t know very well?
Prayer
Sovereign God, you created us, stopped, reflected, and you were very pleased. Thank you for the rushing waters, the grass between our toes, and the air we breathe between our teeth. We are stewards of your creation, tasked to take care of the good things you made, and you have decided we are good. As we care for our mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, give us strength and courage to accept your grace, and always share it with your creation and our neighbors around us. We love you, God. Amen.