January 20, Wednesday Devotion

January 20, Wednesday Devotion
Isaiah 21:1-17
1 This message came to me concerning Babylon—the desert by the sea:
Disaster is roaring down on you from the desert, like a whirlwind sweeping in from the Negev. 2 I see a terrifying vision: I see the betrayer betraying, the destroyer destroying. Go ahead, you Elamites and Medes, attack and lay siege. I will make an end to all the groaning Babylon caused. 3 My stomach aches and burns with pain. Sharp pangs of anguish are upon me, like those of a woman in labor. I grow faint when I hear what God is planning; I am too afraid to look. 4 My mind reels and my heart races. I longed for evening to come, but now I am terrified of the dark. 5 Look! They are preparing a great feast. They are spreading rugs for people to sit on. Everyone is eating and drinking. But quick! Grab your shields and prepare for battle. You are being attacked!
6 Meanwhile, the Lord said to me, “Put a watchman on the city wall. Let him shout out what he sees. 7 He should look for chariots drawn by pairs of horses, and for riders on donkeys and camels. Let the watchman be fully alert.” 8 Then the watchman called out, “Day after day I have stood on the watchtower, my lord. Night after night I have remained at my post. 9 Now at last—look! Here comes a man in a chariot with a pair of horses!” Then the watchman said, “Babylon is fallen, fallen! All the idols of Babylon lie broken on the ground!” 10 O my people, threshed and winnowed, I have told you everything the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said, everything the God of Israel has told me. 11 This message came to me concerning Edom:
Someone from Edom keeps calling to me, “Watchman, how much longer until morning? When will the night be over?” 12 The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but night will soon return. If you wish to ask again, then come back and ask.”
13 This message came to me concerning Arabia:
O caravans from Dedan, hide in the deserts of Arabia. 14 O people of Tema, bring water to these thirsty people, food to these weary refugees. 15 They have fled from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow and the terrors of battle. 16 The Lord said to me, “Within a year, counting each day, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end. 17 Only a few of its courageous archers will survive. I, the Lord, the God of Israel, have spoken!”
Quick Notes/Questions
Did you know that what we expect will happen is shown in our posture? If we think there are good times ahead, we will make time to gather with friends and party. But if we expect trouble or have uncertainty, we may be like the watchman who watches through the night. Expectation is something that comes up again and again in the scriptures. Generally, the people expect for something to happen, but if anything happens, it rarely happens the way they expect it to. The expectation of the Messiah would be a great example. Jesus did not fit the expectations of the people. This makes me wonder what I expect of God... How about you? What kind of expectations do you have of God?
Quick Prayer
Lord, my vision is shortsighted. May I see through your eyes and expect that you continue to be who you have always been and are now. Amen.