Psalm 86:1-7, Isaiah 26:20-27:13, 1 John 4:1-21 - Lectionary for 12/10/11

Today's readings are Psalm 86:1-7, Isaiah 26:20-27:13, and 1 John 4:1-21. Isaiah tells us to take shelter in the arms of God, to avoid looking at the destruction which the Lord will bring upon the earth at the end, knowing that our hope is in God, not in this world. But we love to look at destruction, don't we? When there's a tragic disaster on the news that's what we are all watching. Why is that? There's a part of us, a big part of us, which is attached to this world. We find ourselves, as people of this age, looking to our surroundings without noticing the Lord God who has surrounded us with his mercy and grace. What is our security, though? Lest we become afraid, consumed with our frailty, let us realize that our God has placed his love upon us and we can abide in him. We see his love for us and we realize that we are the beloved of God. We know he has given us his Spirit and therefore we live and breathe in him. How do we respond to this calling, this security that our Lord has given us? As 1 John 4:21 says, we love our brother. Let us show that kindness of God to our brothers, then, not rejoicing in their tribulation, but rejoicing in the God who loves them and cares for them.