Who knew about those whirring wings?

Ah, land of whirring wings that is beyond the rivers of Cush, which sends ambassadors by the sea, in vessels of papyrus on the waters.  Go, you swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land the rivers divide.  Isaiah 18:1-2

Well, Christy the Google Queen, stumbled on this one.  Unbeknownst to me, there are literally dozens of websites about Isaiah 18 being the one time that the United States is mentioned in the Bible.  “We can conclude that no other nation, ancient or modern, fits the description as closely as the United States,” especially the bit about “The people are described as tall and smooth-skinned. Handsome and bronzed are words used in other translations. What image do other parts of the world have of the appearance of Americans, especially from American TV shows piped all over the world? Tall, attractive, smoothed-skinned people.”

This is a lovely reminder to hold our understanding of Scripture lightly.  We are each very capable of twisting pieces to fit me and mine, and lose the perspective of the LORD God Almighty moving through the scope of history.  

So holding all of this lightly, as to the whereas and how shalts, I can look to understand the unchanging God, not bound by time, but who is at work through time: And the Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the Lord, and He will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them.  In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth,  whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.”

Jerry’s sermon yesterday was about Paul.  Paul in prison.  Really this had not been part of The Dream for Paul, stuck in a tiny room chained between two guards, when he had a Big Calling on His Life- he was God’s instrument to proclaim His name to the gentiles, and their kings, and to the people of Israel.  And yet here he was stuck.  Very stuck and going nowhere.  How was this part of the Plan?

Yesterday I battled sadness.  Mostly for other people in my life who feel stuck.  Looking for the Hand of God, and simply not seeing it.  Just the shadows that it casts.  It is clear that I am Not God, because every bone in my body just wants to bustle in and solve each ache and pain, to kiss the boo boos and tape a Pink Princess bandaid over it.  

This section in Isaiah echoes what Paul knew.  The mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.  He has an eternal purpose from the beginning of time, He who created all things.  Let me not be discouraged, over the strikes and blows that I experience, or the strikes and blows that seem to be a large part of life here on earth.      His eternal purpose has been accomplished through Christ Jesus, and I can rest in this truth.  

And in some small way, I am part of The Plan.  The invisible walls that frame the perimeter of my daily endeavors are seen by Him.  Were placed by Him to bless His people, the work of His hands, His inheritance.  For their glory.  

And even, even, if unusual interpretations of Isaiah 18 end up framing American foreign policy, it’s okay.  He’s got it covered.