Confidence

The older I get the more I realize there are things I just don’t know. At the same time experience has taught (is teaching) me that there are some things that are always true.

For instance, its pretty safe for me to say its a sure bet that you will face something today that is going to challenge you. It may be something small and short-termed, or it may be something big and you cannot see when it will ever be over. It might be something that, in the end, doesn’t matter that much (but is very annoying), or it could be something that is threatens your closest relationships, your job, or your very life.

It’s hard to have confidence in times like that. When it feels like everything in your world is falling apart, you need to know that there is something–anything–you can hold onto. Fortunately, God delivers that confidence:

1 Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot-
   yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.
2 And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him-
   the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
   the Spirit of counsel and might,
   the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3 He will delight in obeying the Lord.
He will not judge by appearance
   nor make a decision based on hearsay.
4 He will give justice to the poor
   and make fair decisions for the exploited.
   The earth will shake at the force of his word,
   and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.
5 He will wear righteousness like a belt
   and truth like an undergarment. – Isaiah 11:1-6

Isaiah wrote this passage to the nation of Judah in their very darkest hour. Conquering hordes from Assyria had taken over and destroyed every nation around Judah and was now marching on the gates of Jerusalem. In that moment, when hope was completely gone, Isaiah wanted everyone to know–God is still in control.

You might think no one can understand what you are going through. But Isaiah tells us that this “new Branch” has the Spirit of wisdom and undestanding–He knows the pain you feel, the situation you are in, what’s at risk.

But this “new Branch” is more than someone who knows what you are going through. He also knows what to do about it–that’s because He has the Spirit if counsel and might. Maybe, just maybe, if you seek out the counsel of the “new Branch” you might get some fresh insight, and receive some of the might (or power) to get past what you are going through.

In case you were wondering, that “new Branch” that Isaiah was talking about has a name: it’s Jesus of Nazareth.