“The Lord said to me:
‘Go, set a watchman;
let him announce what he sees.
When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs,
riders on donkeys, riders on camels,
let him listen diligently,
very diligently.’
Then he who saw cried out:
‘Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord,
continually by day,
and at my post I am stationed
whole nights.
And behold, here come riders,
horsemen in pairs!’
And he answered,
‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon;
and all the carved images of her gods
he has shattered to the ground.’
O my threshed and winnowed one,
what I have heard from the Lord of hosts,
the God of Israel, I announce to you.” Isaiah 21:6-10
“In the path of your judgments,
O Lord, we wait for you;
your name and remembrance
are the desire of our soul.
My soul yearns for you in the night;
my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.
For when your judgments are in the earth,
the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.” Isaiah 26:8-9
“To whom will he teach knowledge,
and to whom will he explain the message?..
And the word of the Lord will be to them
precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line,
here a little, there a little.” Isaiah 28:9,13
“He will be the stability of your times,
abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge;
the fear of the Lord is Zion’s treasure.” Isaiah 33:6
The tyranny of the urgent controls most of what occupies our thinking and doing. It is certainly Satan’s ploy to distract us from what matters more. We fluster and flurry and fret, making and talking much of what we think is important, only to find ourselves worn out, lacking hope, or envious of others who’ve ‘succeeded better.’
Significance and spiritual wisdom are rooted in eternal foundations and vision, not daily busyness and material concerns. To understand the times, we need spiritual perspective, a holy mindset, and these are not wrought by restless living. It takes time, intention, and effort to watch, pray, and develop the mind of Christ. (Psalm 73:2-3,16-17,24,28; Mark 13:33; 1 Corinthians 2:16)
The blessing is that once we’ve developed a default manner of spiritual perception, we can go about our days with lighter loads, more cheerful demeanors, and unshakable hope because we know the end! The big picture always covers the immediate one with grace and security.
In the middle of a hectic world and lives, are we making it a priority to earnestly seek the Lord? If we do not make and take time, it will not get done, because the world sucks us into its vortex of insignificant, transient concerns. What can we adjust in our schedules to make this happen? If we are presently apathetic, would we ask that God give us the want to want to, because it matters to Him? When we understand His eternal perspective on our finite issues, we will gain confidence to speak, to announce His name and intention, and of His immutable righteousness in changing times.
Lord, give me spiritual eyes and patience to watch and understand Your ways, then boldness to proclaim them. May my life be a witness to Your goodness and glory in all the earth.
As the rain and snow 