Isaiah 33:5-7

"The Lord is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.
And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure.
Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly."
Isaiah 33:5-7


These verses from Isaiah are talking about the last days, as Isaiah does a lot. I like the image here of wisdom and knowledge being central, and the source of stability. So many things happen, and so many things will happen, always, that we're tempted to react dramatically to... to panic, or stress, or worry, or something else extreme in our adrenaline-junkie lives. And God's answers are very very rarely laced with that kind of season-finale drama. In real life, staying calm is often our salvation, and keeping our heads and making wise long-term choices is going to be more and more important as the world becomes more and more short-sighted and interested only in the now. I include the last verse to show the difference of the way the world reacts. Even when the valiant ones and the ambassadors of peace weep, and possibly lose hope, the fear of the Lord should be our treasure. And God can be scary, and the things that will happen will be frightening, but I think when Isaiah talks about the fear of the Lord, he probably means healthy respect and faith, knowing that God is in charge... and fearing and respecting God more than we fear the choices that people are making. Today, let's take this lesson to heart, and keep our heads, and let wisdom and knowledge guide us. rather than fear. And whenever we do fear, let's turn that to God rather than overreacting to outside events. He's the one who can help.