Isaiah 60:8-14

Isaiah 60:8-14
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Let's be honest -- most of us are a little afraid.  We're insecure.  We worry about our health or our security or our safety or our loved ones.  When we're not sure what to worry about, we invent new things to frighten ourselves.  We scheme elaborate crises in our minds and convince ourselves they might happen, no matter how far-fetched they may seem.  We're creative, if nothing else.
  One of the things we worry about is our home security.  There exists a multitude of companies willing to sell you alarms and other devices to keep your house safe.  We have locks and sirens to keep people out.
  What God promises, however, is a world where we don't have to close the doors because others are coming to bring things to us!  We don't need locks because others, even our enemies, will bring a tribute.  How different will that feel?
  God promises a radically transformed future, one completely different than the one we know.  We are charged by Christ to live into this future in the here and now, to live in such a way that communicates these different values, that proclaims a greater truth, that points to Christ and his future.  It's not easy and often runs counter to everything our culture proclaims, but we are charged to live in such a manner that proclaims our ultimate trust in Christ our King and his future.