July 21

Morning

this is the word that the LORD has spoken against him: ‘The Virgin Daughter of Zion despises you and mocks you; the Daughter of Jerusalem shakes her head behind you. — Isa 37:22 BSB

Reassured by the Word of the Lord, the trembling citizens of Zion grew bold, shaking off their fear of Sennacherib’s arrogant threats. Strong faith enables God’s servants to look with calm disdain at even the most boastful enemies. We know that our adversaries are attempting the impossible. They aim to destroy the eternal life that cannot die as long as Jesus lives. They seek to tear down the fortress that even the gates of hell cannot overcome. In doing so, they only harm themselves, kicking against the goads and striking against the impenetrable shields of Jehovah. We see their weakness. What are they but mere mortals? And what is humanity but a frail worm? They roar and rage like the stormy sea, but only reveal their own shame. When the Lord rises, they will scatter like chaff before the wind and burn like dry thorns crackling in the fire. Their utter inability to harm the cause of God and His truth should fill even the weakest soldiers in Zion’s ranks with confidence, causing them to laugh at their enemies.

Most importantly, we know that the Almighty God is with us, and who can defeat Him? If He steps forward, the clay pots of the earth will not stand long against their Maker. His rod of iron will smash them like pottery, and even the memory of them will vanish. So, let go of all fear—the kingdom is secure in the King’s hands. Let us rejoice and shout for joy, for the Lord reigns, and His enemies are nothing more than straw for the fire.

Evening

I say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why must I walk in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression?” — Ps 42:9 BSB

Believer, can you answer this? Why do you find yourself so often mourning instead of rejoicing? Why give in to gloomy thoughts and anxieties? Who told you that the night would never turn to day? Who said the sea of troubles would never recede, leaving you stranded in a wasteland of despair? Who declared that your winter of discontent would drag on, from frost to frost, snow to ice, and hail to ever-deeper snows, without end? Don’t you know that day follows night, the tide turns after the ebb, and spring and summer come after winter? Hope, then! Always hope! For God will never fail you.

Don’t you realize that God loves you in the midst of all your troubles? Just as mountains are real even when hidden by darkness, so God’s love for you is just as true now as it was in your brightest moments. No father disciplines forever. Your heavenly Father dislikes using the rod as much as you hate receiving it. He only uses it because it brings about your everlasting good. One day, you will climb Jacob’s ladder alongside the angels and see the One who sits at the top—your covenant-keeping God. You will stand in the glory of eternity, and all the trials of this life will fade into nothingness, or be remembered only to praise the God who led you through them for your eternal benefit.

So, sing in the midst of your trials. Rejoice even as you pass through the furnace of affliction. Let the wilderness blossom like the rose, and fill the desert with your shouts of joy. These light troubles will soon be over, and then—"forever with the Lord," your joy will never end!