Snapshot 3: God's Word stands forever! Isaiah 40:8

 

     In  Arizona there is a short amount of time in the spring when wildflowers blossom and green grass shoots up out of the ground. A winter full of rain transforms the desert into a flourishing garden, but does not last long. After a couple of weeks the flowers start fading away and the grass dries up, turns brown and dies. In comparison, the Saguaro Cactus in the background was created to thrive and grow there through centuries. Even with all the wind, storms, and heat it still stands.      

     This reminds me about Isaiah 40:6-8 when it says ...“All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” In these verses Isaiah sees the the beauty and frailty of mankind as fading flowers and withering grass. In contrast is the Word of the Lord that stands forever.

     Our life is fragile on this earth and it definitely does not last long.  Job 14:1-2 has this in mind about the frailty of man. “How frail is humanity! How short is life, how full of trouble! We blossom like a flower and then wither. Like a passing shadow, we quickly disappear.".  Mankind is frail and it is to God’s glory and according to His plan that man is this frail, and the glory of man is so fleeting. 

    In contrast The Word of the Lord stands forever and never changes. It has survived centuries of manual transcription, of persecution, of ever-changing philosophies, of all kinds of critics, of neglect in churches, of doubt and disbelief — and still, the word of our God stands forever.  Josh McDowell in his book Evidence that Demands a Verdict says this, “Written on material that perishes, having to be copied and recopied for hundreds of years before the invention of the printing press, did not diminish its style, correctness, nor existence. The Bible, compared with other ancient writings, has more manuscript evidence than any ten pieces of classical literature combined.”  

      The verse I have with my picture, Isaiah 40:6-8, is mentioned in 1 Peter 1:22-25 "For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the Scriptures say, 'People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades, but the Word of the Lord remains forever'. And that Word is the Good News that was preached to you." 

      Peter connects that  the enduring word Isaiah spoke of is the same word of the Gospel that is preached and believed, bringing salvation.

      The understanding of our frailty and fleeting glory, contrasted with the eternal enduring of God and His word, should humble us in repentance before the LORD. Since we know that God's Word still stands and always will, that means we can be assured that His promises will too. If you haven't  accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior I hope and pray that you will.  

  

Picture taken at Bartlett Lake  

Camera: Nikon d5300. Lens: Nikkor 55mm-200mm 

Camera Settings: f/11, 1/400sec. ISO-400, 55mm focal length