Human beings have never known life without the earth,
but it will pass away (verse 6). The taunts of the oppressors seem like they
will last forever -- but they won’t.
In contrast, the Lord says, “My salvation will be forever, and my deliverance will never be ended”
(verses 6b, 8b). Or as the Gospel text says of the church, “the gates of Hades will not prevail.”
Sometimes it might seem like Hades is doing just fine against us, but it won’t
last. God’s salvation and deliverance do come, and they never end.
Look ahead.
The prophet calls on the exiles -- and we call on our
churches -- to look back, to look up, to look down, and to look around in order
to find reasons to look ahead to God’s deliverance that is surely coming.[1]
O God, You see that of
ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defend us from all
adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may
assault and hurt the soul, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives
and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.[2]
[2] Collect
for the Second Sunday in Lent, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia
Publishing House, St. Louis
Drone Image copyright (c) 2019 LCEF
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