2025 Lent Devotional – Day 18

Lent Devotional: Day 18
Dare to be different
Rev. Dr. A. K. Lama

Amidst spiritual insubordination and defiance of Israel in the 7th century BCE, Isaiah noticed a different group of people. He writes, “Those who walk righteously and speak what is right, who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from accepting bribes, who stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil—” (Isa 33:15 NIV). We may blame the system and the domain of power for the prevailing corruption, but we often hear men and women who don’t succumb to the system but rise from the ashes as men and women who dare to be different.

India has seen some bureaucrats who stood tall and did not conform to the whims and wishes of corrupt politicians. Persons like T. N. Seshan, Election Commissioner (1913–2019); E. Sreedharan (Metro Man of India); Kiran Bedi (First woman IPS officer who reformed Tihar Jail); and Ashok Khemka (IAS officer who canceled dubious land deals of powerful people). And the list of names can be added. Many are still remembered from both sides of the aisle, while some saw them as biased. Most of them were morally upright intellectuals. They might not have spiritual reasons to be upright. They were performing their duties faithfully. How much more should this be true for those with spiritual reasons to be different, especially those who know the Lord personally or claim to be Christians? Hearing such stories from India’s Bible belt will be wonderful.

In Isa 33:16 – 21, there are promises for those daring to be different. They will be given a SECURE place to dwell and shall have full SUPPLY. Isaiah wrote, “They are the ones who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. Their bread will be supplied, and water will not fail them.” (Isa 33:16 NIV) In the following verse 17, there is the promise of SANCTUARY, where one will be able to see the beauty of the Lord. The fourth promise is SURVIVAL. In verses 18-19, it is assumed that the righteous will outlast the wicked. Fifth is the STABILITY. Isaiah wrote, “Look on Zion, the city of our festivals; your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful abode, a tent that will not be moved; its stakes will never be pulled up, nor any of its ropes broken.” (Isa 33:20 NIV) The words Zion and Jerusalem are metaphors for the presence of God. The Lord himself will make a dwelling among such people. Isaiah assures that the Lord, who is the Judge, will be on our side, and he will SAVE (Isa 33:22), while the wicked will be destroyed. I wonder if these promises are attractive enough to inspire His people to dare to be different.

Dear Lord, encourage, empower, and spiritually equip your people so they may dare to be different in their context. Amen!