Baguio City

Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed: “I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me. I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD, who does all these things. (Isaiah 45:1-7 ESV).

Please don’t ask how I manage to find and retain so many seemingly useless bits of trivia. The haphazard way I have of filling my brain with these tidbits of information surprises me on many occasions. Be that as it may, a bit of trivia came to my attention regarding a city. It was Baguio, on the Philippines’ Luzon Island. The official paragraph from the city’s web site says it is “a mountain town of universities and resorts.” It is called the “City of Pines.” More of the promotional information says: “It’s particularly popular in summer due to unusually cool weather. At its center is Burnham Park, with gardens and a lake. Nearby, Baguio Cathedral, completed in 1936, has a rose-hued exterior. The main thoroughfare is Session Road, lined with shops, restaurants and entertainment options.” I found a picture of Session Road. As you can see it is not much more than controlled chaos. I suppose that could be seen as a “tourist destination,” though I cannot imagine navigating my way through those confines. But, isn’t our lives often little more than controlled chaos. We have assignments due, deadlines to meet, pressure at work, sudden illnesses to face, and unsettling news to face. It is easy for us to ask if anyone is really in control. When life doesn’t make sense and stress mounts, where do you look for order? When chaos erupts in our lives it is essential that we recognize that there is someone in control. In our reading today God’s words were spoken to Cyrus, a pagan monarch. God assures Cyrus that he has anointed and appointed him to accomplish his perfect plan. We ought to remember that God’s promise to us is the same. We need not panic in the face of chaos; God has not abandoned control of circumstances. “He creates light and darkness, happiness and sorrow” (v. 7) so that all people may recognize that he alone is God. He wants us to know this so that we will trust him alone. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather trust the God who loves me than blind fate or chance when chaos strikes.