Protected and Mighty

Then you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. Instead of bronze I will bring you gold, and silver in place of iron. Instead of wood I will bring you bronze, and iron in place of stones. I will make peace your governor and well-being your ruler. No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set again,
and your moon will wane no more; the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end. Then all your people will be righteous and they will possess the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands,
for the display of my splendor. The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the LORD; in its time I will do this swiftly.
Isaiah 60:16b-22

I have been meditating on this portion of scripture for days. I guess I have always liked it, but some parts of it seem to be exactly what God is doing in the lives of his people today. We are not of this world. We live in God's kingdom. This is our greatest reality.

In the world there are certain earthly things that are supposed to protect us, but they are not strong enough for all that comes against us. God has given us strong walls and gates that keep out our enemies. "but you will call your walls salvation and your gates praise." I have been resting in this and am greatly encouraged by it. Jesus is my salvation, my shield, my defender. He asks me to dwell in his righteousness and all that he has done and is doing for me. He is asking me to praise God and declare the truth of who he is.

There is definitely still a sun, moon, and stars. They are beautiful and bring us earthly light, but "the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory." We have God's light 24 hours a day. He wants us to be aware of this and walk in this light, knowing that darkness has no more power over us.

"The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation." There are many famous people that we all look up to, but I am observing that the ones that are least recognized by man, in many cases, actually have the most influence. These are God's little ones, small in the eyes of man, but mighty in the eyes of God.

So I would encourage you today to become aware of who you are and who God is for you. "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you." Isaiah 60:1-2