Verse of the Week: “Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will lead his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” (Isaiah 40:10-11)
Truth of the Week: The prophet Isaiah is delivering this message to God’s people who are in exile in Babylon. It is a message of hope to those who are hurting; who feel defeated, discouraged and weighed down by life’s circumstances. It is a call to lift their eyes off of the chaos and uncertainty that surrounds them and to remember the truth of who God is. Isaiah calls the people (and he calls us) to behold and believe that –
1) God is always, absolutely in control. He is strong and powerful and more than able to conquer that which holds us captive. Nothing is too hard for Him. All authority is His, and He does as He pleases. He never steps off of His throne, not even for a moment. God is sovereign over every circumstance of life.
2) God is not a withholder of good. He is a generous God who delights to bless His people. He is does not hold back reward, which is another way of saying that He does not hold back Himself from us. He freely offers us to come and find in Him all that we need and more than we long for.
3) God is a tender, gracious, compassionate God who is not a distant deity. He is right there with us in the midst of our everyday life. He is intimately acquainted with us. He is gentle with us. He carries us close to His heart. He never abandons us or leaves us on our own.
The truths that the prophet proclaimed to God’s people of old are truths that we need to cling to today. We too are exiles in this world, and every moment of every day is a battle to behold God and to believe His promises. He is strong…He is good…He is near…may these thoughts nourish our souls and give us the strength and encouragement we need for the journey.
Quote of the Week: “The inspired writers were men of like passion with us, dwelling in the midst of life. What they learned about God became to them a sword, a shield, a hammer; it became their life motivation, their hope, and their confident expectation.” (Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy)
