Which Apple Are You?

Reading the book of Isaiah is like reading today’s paper. The same things that occurred then, are happening now:

^-7 “I’ve made myself available
    to those who haven’t bothered to ask.
I’m here, ready to be found
    by those who haven’t bothered to look.
I kept saying ‘I’m here, I’m right here’
    to a nation that ignored me.
I reached out day after day
    to a people who turned their backs on me,
People who make wrong turns,
    who insist on doing things their own way.
They get on my nerves,
    are rude to my face day after day,
Make up their own kitchen religion,
    a potluck religious stew. Isaiah has 65:1-7 (MSG)

You can hear the Lord saying the same thing today. Because we live in an era of post-truth, there are no longer any standards. Everyone does what is right in their own eyes. Yet, God is still saying, “I’m here, I’m right here”. And every day people form their own “potluck religious stew”.

I am so glad though that I kept reading until the end of the chapter. For even though Isaiah warns them of impending judgement, he ends with these words:

“But just as one bad apple doesn’t ruin the whole bushel,
    there are still plenty of good apples left.
So I’ll preserve those in Israel who obey me.
    I won’t destroy the whole nation…

These will be for the people
    who bothered to reach out to me, who wanted me in their lives,
    who actually bothered to look for me. Isaiah 65: 8 & 10 (MSG)

This is the good news, the grace of God was in the days of Isaiah and we pray that same grace will extend unto us today. More importantly, I want to be one of those good apples that are left!

Maria