If you are like me, after watching the evening news (or other general programming on television), you nearly despair at the state of affairs in the broader culture. On every hand we see values that are warped and twisted, attitudes that are bitter and hate-filled, unbridled expressions of lust and violence, a political climate that is poisoned and polarized. To top it off, those who are seeking to live by biblical standards of belief and conduct are treated with suspicion and labeled “extreme” (even dangerous).So yesterday, during “coffee with the Lord” early in the morning I read a passage in Isaiah that addressed a similar time in the nation of Israel. Embedded in the passage was a message of hope! And a suggestion for prayer in times like those that I’ve described above. The Passage? Isaiah 33. In fact, I jotted these words in the margin of my Bible… “When times are bad, pray this…
“Oh, Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you! Be our strong arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble!”
Then the acknowledgement of Who, this God of ours is…
“The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; he will fill Zion [the nation] with justice and righteousness! He will be the stability of our times!”
And then the voice of God speaks with authority into those troubled times…
“Now I will arise,’ says the Lord! ‘Now I will lift Myself up; now I will be exalted!’”
(From Isaiah 33)
It brought to mind an old gospel song…
“In times like these you need a Savior,
In times like these you need an anchor;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
“In times like these you need the Bible,
In times like these, O be not idle;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
“In times like these I have a Savior,
In times like these I have an anchor;
I’m very sure, I’m very sure
My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
Refrain…
“This Rock is Jesus, Yes He’s the One!
This Rock is Jesus, the only One!
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!”
– Ruth Caye Jones
