No Comparison

Think of a nation once blessed by God and meant to reveal His glory. Then imagine that same nation rejecting His goodness to walk in their own wisdom. It might eventually look something like this:

“Your country lies desolate;

your cities are burned with fire;

in your very presence

foreigners devour your land;

it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.

And the daughter of Zion is left

like a booth in a vineyard,

like a lodge in a cucumber field,

like a besieged city.”

Isaiah 1:7-8

Today we’ll use Psalm 65:9-13 (in bold print) to represent God’s presence in a land, then compare that with those who reject Him from our verses above (in italics below). Please ask the Lord to speak to you as we see the comparison.

You visit the earth and water it;

you greatly enrich it;

the river of God is full of water;

you provide their grain,

for so you have prepared it.

Your country lies desolate;

You water its furrows abundantly,

settling its ridges,

softening it with showers,

and blessing its growth.

your cities are burned with fire;

You crown the year with your bounty;

your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.

in your very presence

foreigners devour your land;

it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.

The pastures of the wilderness overflow,

the hills gird themselves with joy,

the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,

the valleys deck themselves with grain,

they shout and sing together for joy.

And the daughter of Zion is left

like a booth in a vineyard,

like a lodge in a cucumber field,

like a besieged city.

There is just no comparison. Oh, Lord, that we would choose life; that the nations would seek You!