Grass

(Original appeared June 8, 2016)

“The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah 40:7-8

I happen to tune into the Christian radio station 1090 AM (Bott Radio) quite frequently during my commutes. Sometimes I tune in because there’s nothing else on (the music these days, wow. Am I old?) Other times, I purposely listen in for some favorite programs. Bott radio often has wonderful sermons or devotional studies that seem to resonate with whatever I’m dealing with that that very moment. I used to think it was coincidence, but I know better now.

I happened to stumble across the end of a sermon the other day in which the pastor was using the verses above to drive home a point. I’m not sure what the point was, exactly, because I came in late to the program. But the fact that he highlighted this passage in particular, at that very moment, struck me.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how we are so engrossed with what happens in our lives, or the lives of others (ie. celebrities) that we lose sight of the fact that this world and everything in it is, well, temporary. I get caught up in feeling as though I’m comfortable in the “permanency” of things in my life only to become disappointed or frustrated when those things fade away.

So, what does this passage tell us is temporary, and what is permanent? Why do I base my comfort upon things that wither or fade rather than the solid foundation of God? I get a knot in my stomach when I think of Jacob (or anyone close to me for that matter) as grass or a flower that fades with the breath of God. I get upset when I have something taken from me in this way. But isn’t that our nature; to be so short-sighted? If we expand our minds and make an attempt to take God at His word, we soon realize that there is so much more to the story. The thing that withered is only a small part of the bigger picture, the bigger picture being God’s relationship with His people.

So, I can continue to think like an upset child who just had his toy yanked away from him. Or I can begin to appreciate the fact that there is so much more going on, and all of it is for our good. I am thankful that the word of our God stands forever.