Don't Fear the Thorn Apples

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.” (Isa 12:2 AV)

 

This song is written in the context of God’s correcting hand.  Israel, or the ten northern tribes, are about to be taken into captivity by their enemies to the east.  Assyria, or modern-day Iran, has harassed the eastern two tribes for centuries.  Now, the LORD has allowed this pagan nation to grow in number and might to be His hand of correction against a backslidden and idolatrous nation.  In the process, Assyria will come from the north and march on Jerusalem.  Judah and Benjamin, although also guilty of idolatry, are not so to the same degree as their brethren from the north.  The LORD allows Assyria to advance to the capital city but Jerusalem is protected.  It is this failed invasion that turns the hearts of Judah back to the LORD.  It is in these adverse circumstances the writer above shares his faith in God.  Even though circumstances look dire, he will not fear.  God may be dealing with the nation and with him, but he trusts the mercy of God to see him through.  He knows the LORD loves him and them.  He knows God made promises which He will honor.  It is his faith in a loving and benevolent God that assures his troubled heart even amid a difficult situation.

There are two types of situations in which we must yield our troubled hearts to our God who is capable and able to handle our situations.  All adverse circumstances can fall under one of two categories.  Either God is dealing with us after our sin.  Or, He is asking us to trust Him as we learn to live by faith.  Only one of these two can explain all that is going on.  We often speak of trusting God amid opportunities of faith.  Rarely do we speak of trusting God amid times of correction.  Some of the times of profitable and meaningful times of correction I endured as a child or inflicted on my children are the times I shared their consequences.  My father was constantly working on projects outside of his career.  Two of them were always a part of our growing up.  One of them was remodeling our home.  Each room had to be torn down to the studs, rewired, and drywalled.  The other was his 66 acres of forest.  Building hiking paths, a latrine from logs cut from his property, and the never-ending and dreaded battle against thorn apple trees.  It is that latter one that brings back many memories.  There were times when we got ourselves into trouble.  Part of our punishment was either whacking down overgrown weeds and grass or helping my father remove thorn apple trees.  We hated the former.  The latter meant we had to keep company with the one whom we disappointed.  But it also meant grace came with the work.  Periods of rest, quenching of thirst, and even learning to use the chain saw was part of the deal.  The point is, when we were pushed to our limit, our father knew it and dealt wisely to see we came through it rather unscathed and with a valuable lesson learned.

Our heavenly Father knows our limits.  He is not out to destroy us.  He is not out to consume us and make sure we never breathe another breath of liberty.  Our heavenly Father cares for our choices.  He is concerned we live according to His holy law.  Not only because it brings glory to His name and attracts a lost and dying world to Himself, but more importantly because living in the holiness of His word means a life that is far more blessed than a life of disobedience.  It is hard to trust the LORD amid those times.  Times when circumstances seem to be so overwhelming we think survival is in doubt.  These times when we think we sense the absence of God is a time to remind the heart He is right there with us.  He has the bow saw in hand.  He has his leather gloves on.  He is tightening the chain on the chain saw.  He is clearing out an area to pile the downed thorn apple.  He is pouring a cool glass of water.  He is sitting on a log and telling us to take a break.  He is encouraging us that just another half-hour or so, and we can cool off in the pond.  He is there.  Right alongside us even if we think His displeasure has resulted in abandoning us.  Not so.  He is there.  No need to fear.  He will walk with us through the fire and the flood.  And on the other side, righteousness and or faith will increase dramatically!