Isaiah 45

Hey! Would you rather eat a can of worms than be mistaken for a “believer”? Do you think the idea of any deity, let alone a loving and personal God, is a harebrained notion? When somebody refers to “the F word,” do you automatically think of “faith”? If so, I’ve got great news for you!

God loves you, and He will still bless you, even if you don’t believe in Him! Notice these wonderful verses from today’s chapter: “This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus… I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me.” (vs 1-5)

Cyrus, future king of Persia (at the time this prophecy was written), was certainly not a believer—at least not in the God of Israel. In 1879, a clay tablet was discovered that now sits in the British Museum, and on this tablet, Cyrus declared his allegiance to the Babylonian god, Marduk. Yet, God called Cyrus His “anointed” and promised to bless him with strength and riches.

Really, could this God we serve be any greater? He doesn’t even curse those who don’t believe in Him! In fact, far from being indifferent to them, He plans ways to bless them!

So, if you’re an atheist, you might want to give the God of the Bible a second look. (He’s definitely got His eye on you—in a good way!) And if you’re a believer who is fond of turning an accusing finger or tongue toward your atheist acquaintances, you might want to think twice about that. God loves atheists just as much as He loves believers. It would be best not to curse what God has blessed!