Owning it – the bad and the forgiveness
by Pastor Matt Bishop
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I will give thanks to you Lord, for though you were angry at me (Isaiah 12:1a).
Christianity has a pretty big problem today. And it is quite simple. It is that no-one really believes that they are all that bad anymore. Apparently, this has especially been the case since the Third Reich in Germany. In John Dickson’s compelling Undeceptions podcast series, the must-listen-to episode 39 called ‘Guilty Conscience’* mentions how Adolf Hitler is the benchmark by which many people now judge their evil. That’s quite a high or low bar (depending on how you look at it!). No-one can be that bad, can they? In comparison to Hitler, I have little to confess! Surely!
No!
Isaiah leads the people in true honesty about their condition before God. Both in sin and forgiveness:
I will praise you, Lord.
Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away
and you have comforted me (verse 1).
You see, it’s quite hard to be comforted if you don’t think there is anything to be comforted over. Isaiah 12 is a beautiful gift from the Holy Spirit. It is one of the most beautiful songs in the whole of Scripture. But we only receive its relief when we can admit and turn away from the depths of our transgression (what we do wrong), our missing the mark (what we don’t do right) and our brokenness (the sinful state we were born in). It’s all this God has saved us from. And it’s then that we can really get a sense of Isaiah’s delight in the happiness God’s people collectively express when they reflect on the flourishing life into which Jesus has brought us. God will bless you as you make it your own song.
Lord God, you were angry with me, but your anger has turned away, and you have comforted me. With joy, I draw water from the well of your flourishing. I give you praise and proclaim your name for what you have done. In my Saviour Jesus’ name. Amen.
*You can listen to the episode at https://undeceptions.com/podcast/guilty-conscience/
Pastor Matt Bishop serves the congregation and primary school at St Paul Lutheran Church Blair Athol and is chair of the LCANZ General Pastors Conference. He is married to Melissa, delights in his three young adult daughters, and enjoys caring for his five chickens and five budgerigars. He says he would like to spend more time at Venus Bay on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula fishing for King George Whiting, but he loves being both a pastor (mostly) and sharing the gospel with everyone God puts in his path (always).
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