Isaiah 33:1-2
Ah, you destroyer,
who yourself have not been destroyed,
you traitor,
whom none has betrayed!
When you have ceased to destroy,
you will be destroyed;
and when you have finished betraying,
they will betray you.
2 O LORD, be gracious to us; we wait for you.
Be our arm every morning,
our salvation in the time of trouble.
In sports, we seem to be drawn to root for the underdog. In extreme cases, sports commentators on TV even refer to them as David vs.Goliath games, where the tiny college basketball team goes up against the big state university. It seems only fair that the little guy wins. It rarely happens though. In war, too, we root for the tiny nation imperiled by the larger aggressor. We fly Ukraine flags in solidarity against Russia. Here, Isaiah is flying the flag for Israel against Assyria, who will take the northern tribes into captivity. It’s not fair but it’s life. The underdog has one hope, and God is that help.
It is the same for the Christian church in America. We are small and getting smaller. The aggressor, the post-Christian American culture, seems to have something against us, though for what reason, I am not sure. I would guess it has something to do with our hope and our help. We cry out to Jesus Christ for help, hope, and salvation, and he comes to our aid. Pray for those in the world who are the larger aggressor but are the ones who need hope and help. In their time of trouble, show them the mighty arm of the Lamb.
O Heavenly Father, you are the hope of the world that rejects you. May we be the voice in the wilderness proclaiming salvation in Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.