Who will wear the belt of righteousness?

God forecast the 70- year captivity of his people through Isaiah's early prophecy. But he also told his people that they would be coming home one day, a special day, a day they would never forget. And he told them help would be on the way...

Read these wonderful words from the 12th chapter of Isaiah: "Out of the stump of David’s family[a] will grow a shoot — yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay.  He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked. He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment. In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together;
the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all."

That's water to a parched throat, bread to a starving stomach, isn't it? A spirit of wisdom and understand, counsel and might, knowledge and fear of the Lord will lead us. Now if we could just agree on the perimeters of what that wisdom and understanding might be.

Instead, oh, instead ... we've got 5,000 birds falling from the sky and China owns most of America.

Friends, we've begun a new year, one in which things might get better, but likely will get worse. Why would I say that? Partly because we do not have leaders who give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited and the world is far from peaceful. But I say that because no one wants to wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment because that won't get them elected, they think.

Isn't it time we found leaders who cared about the whole and were capable of leading? Isn't it time Jesse's Root became the one we turn to for guidance. Isn't it time we start loving instead of bullying? Isn't this the day?