Surely wickedness burns like a fire; it consumes briers and thorns, it sets the forest thickets ablaze, so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke. – Isaiah 9:18

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 3, 2017): Isaiah 9

Original Smokey Bear Poster

Smokey Bear, later Smokey the Bear, burst onto the scene in 1944 in the United States. The Forest Service needed to find a way to get the forest fire message out to the people. The truth was that, as the war continued, there simply was not the workforce needed to fight wildfires on the West Coast. Added to that was the fact that the Japanese sought to use domestic forest fires in the United States as a weapon of war. The American hope was that by making the public aware of what they could do to prevent forest fires, the public would understand that, through fire prevention, they were helping the war effort. In 1942, Disney released “Bambi” a story about a young fawn caught in a Forest Fire, and Disney allowed the use of the image of Bambi in fire prevention messages, but only for a year. What was needed was a dedicated ambassador for fire safety. That ambassador became Smokey, the Bear. 

Today it is estimated that 95% of adults and 77% of children recognize Smokey the Bear and his message in the United States. Smokey has become a much-loved icon – and his message has made a difference, at least on some of us. (I am always worried about whether or not the fire is out and still today I employ methods of fire prevention that I learned straight from Smokey.)

The problem with forest fires is that it often doesn’t take much for an uncontrolled fire to start. As the old campfire song says, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going.” And a small spark can spread, at first through other “small” things. But soon, even the tallest trees of the forest are in real danger from the fire. Every year we watch as communities are evacuated, and homes are destroyed because of an uncontrolled spark that started a fire somewhere.

Isaiah uses this illustration of a forest fire to instruct us on how wickedness can work its way into our lives and our culture. It always starts small, but it doesn’t seem to take long before our entire lives have been consumed. Countless counseling sessions have included the confession that something small started the fire that has now destroyed countless lives. Marriage breakups seldom start with the big things that eventually cause the divorce. They start with some small things that should never have been allowed to be present in the first place.

We all need a Smokey in our lives. A reminder not to let the “little sins” go by unnoticed. Because they will not stay little for long. Soon the fire they start will consume all of the good that is present in our lives. 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 10

Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. – Isaiah 8:12

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 2, 2017): Isaiah 8

“People love conspiracy theories.” At least, according to Neil Armstrong. And he should know. After all, there are people that still today believe that the lunar landing in the late 1960’s was a hoax. What the world witnessed as “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” was filmed on a Hollywood sound stage. At least according to some, we never went to the moon. We didn’t even try.

Conspiracy theories come in many different forms. Some are harmless. I choose to believe that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. I can see no reason not to, but if you believe that it was a hoax, it really doesn’t matter. Thinking that we didn’t go to the moon will shape your personal worldview, but I can’t see it having a lasting effect on our world. But there are conspiracy theories that are dangerous. Believing that global warming is a story made up by the Chinese just means that we will not act on decreasing our ecological footprint. The hottest planet in our solar system is not Mercury, which is closest to the sun. It is Venus, our sister planet because it has an out of control greenhouse effect taking place in its atmosphere. Global warming is an epidemic on Venus, and unless we change the way we do things, we may be headed in the same direction.

But then, some conspiracies are hurtful. I have been in conversation through this blog with people who do not believe that the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School ever took place, even though much of the proof of the conspiracy has been debunked. Could you imagine the pain of losing your child and then having the conspiracy theorists tell you that you are lying – that your child, who you know that you buried in a grave, is still alive? Even with all the photographic evidence, there are still people who believe that the Holocaust was nothing more than a conspiracy against the Germans and world. These conspiracy theories increase the pain that we suffer as a people by telling us that the cause of our pain is imaginary. There is nothing worse than being told that your very real pain isn’t really there.

Isaiah says simply this, refuse to believe in conspiracy theories. And the reason isn’t that the ideas are not valid, but that God is in control. He knows the truth even we don’t. Don’t argue about whether global warming is a real thing. Just care for the planet, and all of the animals as God has instructed you to do. Don’t worry about whether the Muslim neighbor that moved in down the street has been radicalized by ISIS. Just love them as Jesus has instructed us. The real problem with conspiracy theories is that they destroy our trust in God. And, in the end, that lack of trust is the thing that will destroy us.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9

Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. – Micah 7:8

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 1, 2017): Micah 7

“Help. I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up.” The Lifeline commercial of almost three decades ago still causes many to laugh. The situation portrayed in the commercial was actually a very serious one, but unfortunately, the ad was unintentionally campy and suffered from poor acting. The advertisement was not designed to be funny, and that probably made it even more entertaining. Of course, parodies rocketed through various comedic routines and sitcoms, all of which featured the phrase “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up” or variations (sometimes rude) on that theme. And the phrase entered into our North American culture.

Micah sends out a warning for all those who would take Israel lightly. The nation may have fallen on hard times, but this was not the end of the story. Israel would rise. Her strength would return to her, and she would rule once again. God would not allow his children to fall, never to get back up. But for the Christian Church, the second phrase of Micah’s comment is crucial. Although Israel sat in darkness, there was one coming who would be her strength. This is a Messianic expectation. The Messiah would come and he would by the light that would break Israel’s darkness.

Of course, as a church, we believe that the Messiah has come. And he continues to be our light, even in times of darkness. Jesus is here, and because of that the world – every part of it, which includes but is not limited to Israel, has hope.

2017 has dawned. I have no idea what kind of a year this is going to be, but I am sure that the light of the Messiah will go before us. He will be our light and our salvation. I am certain this year that there will be times when things will not go our way – times when we will want to scream that we have fallen and can’t get up. But I also know that even then we will rise. This world cannot keep us down because we go in the strength and the light of the Messiah.

And because of him, nothing else really matters.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 8