He lives

Thousands of years ago when I was in the first grade, my teacher made it abundantly clear that when we needed to go to the rest room, we were to raise our hands, she would call on us, and we would be allowed to go by ourselves to the boys bathroom. So, of course, I messed that up rather quickly. One day when the teacher was actually teaching, she asked a question to the room. The first hand that raised itself tentatively didn't know the answer, nor did the second one. The hands soon disappeared and silence gripped the room in deadly cold tentacles.

I, of course, wasn't paying much attention to any of that procedure. Instead, I was working on the problem, my problem. I had to go to the restroom.

Remembering the message about hands raised, allowance granted, I raised my hand. The teacher, flashing a much to quickly smile (as she assumed I knew the answer to her question). Giggles bounced around the room when I said, "Mrs. Green, I just need to go to the bathroom." She wanted an answer, first, however and basically told me and the room that without the answer to her question, there was no leaving the room.

I wasn't even sure of the question.
I was sure I needed to go.
So...I answered, and answered, and answered. And lo and behold, I got it right on the fourth or five try. Near full-bladder, embarrassing tears, I asked Mrs. Green if indeed I could go. She said yes, and I waddled rather than ran out of the room. Kids laughed. I didn't care. Soon there would be tears of joy.

 Isaiah told the people of God they would be snatched up and taken to Babylon.
Then he told the people of God that Babylon would be snatched up and torn apart by God.

The Bible reads: "The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sworn this oath:

“It will all happen as I have planned.
It will be as I have decided.
I will break the Assyrians when they are in Israel;
I will trample them on my mountains.
My people will no longer be their slaves
nor bow down under their heavy loads.
I have a plan for the whole earth,
a hand of judgment upon all the nations.
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken—
who can change his plans?
When his hand is raised,
who can stop him?”

Couple of points.
1) "I have a plan for the whole earth."
2) "Who can change his plans"

God, through his prophet Isaiah, told everyone who would listen, everyone who could do what he commanded,  what his plans were. He was going to take down Babylon (Assyrians). He was going to do it soon. He was going to restore the two kingdoms of God (at that moment). Done deal. Finished. Kaput.

The 14th chapter of Isaiah begins a lament to Israel; it is a moment in time in which all in members of the body of Christ would have a confrontational moment with God, or the leader of the "Angel Armies."

"I will confront them." God tells them. "And sing Babylon of name and survivors, children and grandchildren. I'll make it a worthless swamp and give it as a prize to the hedgehog. And then I'll bulldoze it out of existence."

This morning, a brilliantly lit Saturday that is on the brisk side, look at what God will see in your life one day. Will he see Jesus? Or will he see worthless swamp? Will he see God's son draped over you? Or will he see you brushing aside the hand of God?

Choices are the cornerstone of God's plan for our lives. They come up every so often, and they give us a chance to change the flow of the river of life. If you've never confronted a choice about Christ before, please take some time this weekend and know that He lives, and He lives today.