Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.
Isaiah 57:21 quotes God as saying, "There is no peace for the wicked" (ESV). We easily take a statement like this and recast it as a condemnation of evil, a way of telling those we see as wicked that they are doomed.
On the contrary, the picture Scripture gives us in Isaiah (and elsewhere) is that the wicked, who are going their wicked ways despite God's call to come and receive his loving grace, are objects of pity. God was there all along, offering them his peace. He was warning them of the judgment to come. He was telling them that their future could involve condemnation. He was inviting them to be safe from condemnation through the power of his love. And the wicked have run away, again and again, seeking turmoil like the tossing sea (v. 20).
What is the ultimate destination of the wicked? Destruction. This flies in the face of God's offer of abundant mercy and grace. For the rich, the poor, the lofty, and the lowly, God offers life. He will revive those who look to him. There will be comfort, restoration, and healing.
In short, God's desire, which he expresses consistently in Scripture, is the redemption of the entire world, all those who would turn to him. Sadly, those who are stubborn, hard-hearted, and desire to work go their own way will eventually be left to their destruction.
This redemptive desire of God in Christ is what has motivated missionary activity throughout history. It is what motivates my work with Wittenberg Door today. We call people to experience the rescue God has made available. That call is for everyone, including you, the reader.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.