#soap # Isaiah 23 ## Title: The Lord Will Do What’s Necessary ## Scripture: (Isaiah 23:8-9) “Who planned this for royal Tyre, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the dignitaries of the earth? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies planned it— to dishonor the pride that comes from all her beauty, to humiliate all the dignitaries of the earth.” (NET) ## Observation: There is a difference between Santa Claus and a good father. Santa Claus gives gifts because you ask and doesn’t really hold you accountable. You ask, he gives. A good father also gives good gifts. However, a good father also brings punishment and judgment on your life when necessary. The goal is not the punishment. The goal is the ultimate good. Many of us think of God as a cosmic Santa Claus. We pray for things and He is supposed to give them to us. If He doesn’t, we wonder what is wrong with Him. Why isn’t He being faithful? Maybe He is not real after all. This makes sense if we think of God as Santa Claus because His main job is to give us stuff. However, when we think of God as a Good Father, which is how He told us to see Him, we begin to realize God does what’s best for us. Many times that is to give us what we are asking about. However, He will also bring what is best for us in the way of judgment. In the text above, God is allowing judgment to come because of pride. Pride can destroy us and everyone around us. We can struggle reading a text like this if we see Santa Claus. If we see a Good Father, then we realize there could be no other way. He is interested in our holiness more than our happiness. ## Application: Trust the Lord and see Him as a Good Father. ## Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for knowing what is best for us.