Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
Isaiah 51:6 NIV
look at the earth beneath;
the heavens will vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment
and its inhabitants die like flies.
But my salvation will last forever,
my righteousness will never fail.
Do you ever get discouraged by your situation in life? Or with the condition of the world in general? If so, you are not alone. Ancient Israel had returned from their exile, full of hope that their nation would be restored to its former glory. But they were still a vassal state. And life was hard. Would it ever get any better?
God’s response was to tell them to look around at all that seemed so permanent. Look up at the sky, at the sun, moon, and stars. They go about their daily, monthly, and annual cycles, seemingly without end. And look at the earth around you. The mountains, rivers, and oceans seem so unchanging.
But they are not eternal. Someday, maybe long in the future, they will all be gone. There is nothing in this creation that will last forever. And that is especially true of humans and other living creatures. Compared to what we see in the heavens and around us on the earth, our lives are like flies. Here today and gone tomorrow.
But, God tells us, not everything is temporary. God’s salvation will last forever. And his righteousness will never fail. The one thing we can count on, when all else fails, is God. The salvation he provides is not temporary. It will outlast the heavens and the earth. And we can trust that he will always do what is right, even when it seems no one else does.
Don’t be discouraged by what you see in the world around you, and wonder if serving God is worth it. Your time in this life is short. But God’s salvation is not. So be faithful to him and experience his salvation that will never end.
