Unwelcome wages

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 65-66; Psalm 121

TO CHEW ON: "'Behold it is written before Me: I will not keep silent but repay -- even repay into their bosom -- your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together,' says the Lord, 'who have burned incense on the mountains and blasphemed Me on the hills; Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom.'" Isaiah 65:6-7
What is it about us humans that we so readily tend toward breaking rules? Wherever there is a posted speed limit, for example, you can guarantee that more people will be driving over than under it (at least where I live). When my husband was on the council of our townhouse strata, we became more aware than ever of owners parking in visitor spots (something our rules forbid)--an awareness that was uncomfortable because, as a council member, he had some responsibility to see that those rules were enforced.

Our penchant to break rules is not lessened when it comes to God's rules. Our reading today is God's response to Isaiah's sermon-prayer of Isaiah 63:7-64:12. God answers Isaiah's impassioned questions about why Israel is in the state she's in (Isaiah 64:10-12) by detailing what He sees.

There is worship in unauthorized places (Isaiah 65:3). The people are spending time in the company of and sating their hunger with things God calls an abomination (Isaiah 65:4). And they are proud of it (Isaiah 65:5). So, God says, they are getting their just wages (Isaiah 65:6-7, our focus verses for today).

There is a word for breaking God's rules. It is sin. The idea that sin has wages goes through scripture. These wages are not desirable:

- Sinning is called a futile thing, which will be rewarded with futility (Job 15:31).
- The wicked person will be condemned; he will be destroyed by evil (Psalm 34:21).
- Those who make a lifestyle of breaking God's rules are called fools and are "afflicted" (made ill)  by their sins (Psalm 107:17).
- Their "revenue" (income) is trouble (Proverbs 15:6).
- The sinner spends his life amassing wealth "that he may give to him who is good before God" (Ecclesiastes 2:26).
- Sinners bring evil upon themselves (Isaiah 3:9).
- Evil deeds are repaid in kind (Isaiah 59:18).
- Sinning leads to bitter consequences (Jeremiah 8:14).
- It also leads to a harvest of uselessness and irritation (Jeremiah 12:13).
- It results in calamity (evil, disaster, doom) (Jeremiah 44:23).
- Every transgression and disobedience receives a just reward (Hebrews 2:2).
- Its wages are death (Romans 6:23).

This uncomfortable list of sin's consequences makes one ask: what exactly is the attractiveness of sin again?

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me remember, when tempted to sin, that there are consequences. And thank You for the gospel, which counteracts these wages with Your gift of forgiveness and life. Amen.


PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 121


MORE: "Sin's Wages and God's Gift"
J. Gresham Machen (1991-1937) was a Professor of New Testament at Princeton Seminary and Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. His excellent short essay "Sin's Wages and God's Gift" -- first published in God Transcendent (1949)-- begins:

Some time ago I heard a sermon on this text by a preacher who has now retired. The sermon was not one that I agreed with altogether, but the beginning of it, I thought, was interesting. The preacher said that during the preceding summer he had met in a chance sort of way, on one of the steamers of the Great Lakes, a gentleman who turned out to be a man of large affairs, but a man who had little to do with the church. Incidentally the conversation turned to religious matters, and the man of business gave to the preacher the benefit of a little criticism. The criticism was perhaps not unworthy of attention. "You preachers," the outsider said, "don't preach hell enough."

Read the whole thing and you will not only be impressed with the dreadfulness of sin's wages, but reminded of the wonderful good news of the second part of Romans 6:23: "...the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord."

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
 

Stay the waiting course

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 61-64; Psalm 120

TO CHEW ON: "For since the beginning of the world

Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear,

Nor has the eye seen any God besides You,

Who acts for the one who waits for Him." Isaiah 64:5

Do you like to be kept waiting? I don't! But God, whose wisdom trumps our likes and dislikes, may often keep us waiting.

[Wait means 1) To stay or remain in expectation as of an anticipated action or event. 2) To be or remain in readiness. 3) To remain temporarily neglected or undone.]

Isn't that third definition apt? For when we are kept waiting, neglected is just how we feel.

The Bible is full of people who God kept waiting.

• Abraham and Sarah waited for an heir. When they got impatient and tried to achieve this their own way (through Abraham having Ishmael by Sarah's maid Hagar) they brought trouble into their lives.

• Samuel told King Saul to wait for him to offer a sacrifice before he (Saul) went to war. When members of his army started slipping away, Saul grew impatient and offered the sacrifice himself. Samuel arrived at the end of the ceremony and told Saul that because of his disobedience, the kingship would be taken from his family (1 Samuel 13:1-15).

• The disciples, on the other hand, waited in Jerusalem as Jesus had told them to, until the Holy Spirit descended. Then, indwelt with God's power, they "turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6).

Are you waiting for something today? Take heart from today's verse and words like David's in Psalm 37 as you stay the waiting course:

"Commit your way to the Lord

Trust also in Him

And He shall bring it to pass...

Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him

Do not fret..." (Psalm 37:5-7).

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to commit my way to You and wait for You to "bring it to pass" and "act" for me. Amen


PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 120

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Glory?

Image: Microsoft

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 58-60; Psalm 119:153-176

TO CHEW ON: "... And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you... and His glory will be seen upon you" - Isaiah 60:1,2

What is this glory Isaiah talks about?

glory: chabod (kah-vohd) means weightiness, that which is substantial or heavy, glory, honor, splendor, power, wealth, authority, magnificence, fame, dignity, riches and excellence. ("Word Wealth" from New Spirit Filled Life Bible)

When I think of God’s glory, I imagine the scene at the dedication of Solomon’s temple. The heavy cloud of God's  glorious presence made it impossible for the priests to stay and do their jobs. How incredible that must have been!

Che Ahn in When Heaven Comes Down – Experiencing God’s Glory in Your Life makes an interesting distinction between the glory of God that is the essence of His person (His eternal glory), and the glory of God which we perceive (His manifest glory).

“…The eternal glory of God is like the sun itself, far too fiery and brilliant for us to encounter directly or even to look at. But the sun’s light manifests itself to us in a variety of ways. It illuminates darkness, revealing the objects around us. It gives us spectacular light displays in beautiful sunrises and brilliant sunsets. It warms us and even tans our skin. Everywhere the sun goes, the sun’s light goes. But the sun’s light is not the sun itself. Rather, the light we experience from the sun is a manifestation of the sun.

“This distinction is helpful in understanding God’s glory. His eternal glory is like the sun: it is His very essence, beyond our comprehension or ability to encounter. Yet His manifest glory is like the sun’s light: a reflection of Him we can encounter in ways we are able to perceive, whether through physical healing, a peaceful presence in our spirit or an angelic visitation.” p. 26

Ahn settles on this definition: “God’s glory is His manifest presence by which He reveals His character of goodness and displays His power through signs and wonders.” p. 28

By this definition you can know God's glory in your life  any time you recognize His goodness - to you or through you. It could be the thought of where to look for your keys moments after you’ve prayed for help in finding them. It could be an unexpected cheque when you need money. It could be the reminder to pray for a friend. It could also mean coming away from a deadly accident unscathed, or seeing an angel or praying for someone and witnessing a miraculous healing. In Isaiah 60 God’s glory is shown when children return home, when there is joy, wealth, God’s house is glorified.

Has God’s glory come to your life? Look for signs of it today.

PRAYER: Dear God, please open my eyes to evidences of Your glory in my life today. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 119:153-176


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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Words that accomplish and prosper

   
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Isaiah 55-57; Psalm 119:129-152

TO CHEW ON: “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth and make it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from my mouth; It shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55: 10-11


A few years ago we received the beautiful coffee table book Eye to Eye, Heart to Heart. This book of photographs was put together by Dave and Deborah Crough. Dave is a many-year photographer for Wycliffe Bible Translators. The volume is full of images of people whose lives have been impacted by the rain, snow, seed, and bread of God’s word that our focus verse talks about. The variety of skin color and ethnic dress show how widely the Gospel has spread. But you feel the book’s real impact when you focus on the eyes of the subjects. So many sparkle with hope.

A sidebar article about this passage in my Bible begins to scratch the surface in explaining the power of God’s word to give that sparkle.

“Evangelism (the spreading of the Good News) and expansion (the enlarging of life’s potential under God) both multiply by the “seeds” of God’s word. Jesus described the Word as “seed” also (Luke 8:11), the source of all saving life and growth possibilities transmitted from the Father to mankind…

Fruitfulness is the guaranteed byproduct – whether for the salvation of a lost soul or the provision of a disciple’s need. God’s Word cannot be barren or fruitless. his own life power is within it.” – Jack Hayford – New Spirit Filled Life Bible – p. 939.

This passage tells us:
- All increase of life comes by His word.
- Whether we receive it or disseminate it, God’s word will not be empty (void) but will accomplish and prosper God’s purposes.
- The power of His word fulfills the promise of His word. (Now there’s a thought to bend the mind!)

Is there an area in your life that is barren and fruitless.

• Search God’s word for insight about it. 
• Apply His advice. 
• Obey if there is something you need to do. 
• Then trust Him and His word to be the refreshing rain and snow, the seed and the bread in your life and circumstance.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the Bible – Your amazing communication to us. Help me to apply it to my life and obey it. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 119:129-152

MORE: Some thoughts on the way to make God’s word effective in life:

"The golden rule for understanding spiritually is not intellect, but obedience. If a man wants scientific knowledge, intellectual curiosity is his guide; but if he wants insight into what Jesus Christ teaches, he can only get it by obedience. …

When Jesus brings a thing home by His word, don't shirk it. If you do, you will become a religious humbug. Watch the things you shrug your shoulders over, and you will know why you do not go on spiritually. First go - at the risk of being thought fanatical you must obey what God tells you."

– Oswald Chambers, from My Utmost for His Highest (July 27th reading)

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Forgiven and healed

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 52-54; Psalm 119:97-128

TO CHEW ON: "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."  Isaiah 53:5

Isaiah 53:5 has to be one of the most moving verses in the Bible. In it we see God's Servant mutilated, stripped of any attractiveness, despised, rejected, and treated with utter revulsion as He bears sin. Not just someone else's sin, but "our sin."

Isaiah uses two words to describe sin: transgressions and iniquities.

["Transgressions - pesha  means rebellion, transgression, trespass. Pesha comes from pasha which means to revolt, rebel, and trespass.  … a trespass has to do with revolting against law, God or government and was a transgressing, that is, going b beyond established limits" - Dick Mills, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1072.]

[Iniquities - avon  means evil, fault, sin, blame, moral crookedness and perversion.]  It's the word that describes the inborn tendency to sin in which we are born: "Behold I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me" - Psalm 51:5.

Here we see My Servant—whom we believe was Jesus—taking the punishment for our rebellion, revolt, trespass, evil, and moral crookedness. He is chastised, beaten, and crucified to buy our peace. He bears our sins and intercedes for us, the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12).

With this act, not only is our penalty paid but we are healed. I believe this healing includes all aspects. Jesus' death purchased our healing from rebellious crookedness along with healing from physical diseases.

May the enormity of what Jesus did never cease to impress us. May we never become casual or blasé about how He took my place and yours as the object of God's wrath against sin and made possible our health and wholeness.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for taking the punishment for my sin, and making it possible for me to be healed. Help me to cooperate with Your Spirit to make possible  healing from my rebellious tendencies. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 119:97-128

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Suffering Servant

Image: Hans_Hofer / pixabay.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 49-51; Psalm 119:65-96

TO CHEW ON: "'For the Lord God will help Me;
Therefore I will not be disgraced;
Therefore I have set My face like a flint
And know that I will not be ashamed.'" Isaiah 50:7

In this third Servant Song (Isaiah 50:4-9) we see the human and suffering Servant. It's not hard to recognize parallels from this passage in Jesus' and His life.

• From Isaiah: "'The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned…'" (Isaiah 50:4)

From Jesus' life: already by the age of 12 He was known for His words. In them He demonstrated:

- Understanding: "And all who heard Him were astonished ad His understanding and answers" - Luke 2:47.

- Grace: "So all … marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of HIs mouth" - Luke 4:22.

- Authority: "… His word was with authority" - Luke 4:32.

- Life: "'The words I speak to you are spirit and they are life'" - John 6:63.

• From Isaiah "… a word in season to him who is weary" (Isaiah 50:4):

Jesus said: "'Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest'" - Matthew 11:28.

• From Isaiah: "'He awakens Me morning by morning…" (Isaiah 50:4)

It was said of Jesus: "Now in the morning having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed" - Mark 1:35. See also Luke 5:16. 

• From Isaiah "'I gave My back to those who struck Me, / And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; / I did not hide My face from shame and spitting'" (Isaiah 50:6):

This happened to Jesus: "So then Pilate took Jesus and had Him scourged (flogged, whipped) and they slapped Him in the face" - John 19:1,3 AMP.

And this: "Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands…" Matthew 26:67.

• From Isaiah "'For the Lord God will help Me; / Therefore I will not be disgraced; / Therefore I have set My face like a flint / And I know that I will not be ashamed'" (Isaiah 50: 7):

Compare Jesus' words from the cross: "'My God, My God, why have You forsaken me…'?" - Matthew 27:46 (when it seemed that He had been disgraced) to this triumph after His resurrection: "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth…'" Matthew 28:18-29.

There is something very reassuring about finding these prophetic words about the Servant's (Jesus's) suffering and eventual victory. Keeping them in mind as we read the story of Jesus' passion helps us understand that what happened that weekend in Jerusalem 2000+ hears ago was a planned, intentional chain of events, put into motion by the God who loves us and in this way purchased our salvation.

He knew/knows our lives in the same prophetic, beforehand way. We are not some chance or random blip on the radar of time, but planned pieces of the puzzle that is making the picture God has designed and knows from eternity past.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for this picture of Jesus, given hundreds of years before the cross. Help me to trust Your plan for me, especially when it seems to make no sense. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 119:65-06

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Clay backtalk

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 45-48; Psalm 119:33-64

TO CHEW ON: "Woe to him who strives with his Maker!

Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth!

Shall the clay say to him who forms it

'What are you making?'

Or shall your handiwork say, 'He has no hands'?" Isaiah 45:9

Included in today's amazing prophecy about Cyrus (the Persian king whom Isaiah predicted would free Israel from captivity 100 years before it happened) is a warning. It begins "Woe to him..." signalling that all who find themselves described in the words should pay attention. It answers the person who would take exception to God's method of using a heathen king to accomplish His work.

The warning pictures a lump of clay complaining to the potter about the way it is being shaped. I like how the NLT translates it:

"What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator.
Does a clay pot argue with its Maker?
Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it,
saying 'Stop, you're doing it wrong!'
Does the pot exclaim, 'How clumsy can you be'?"

Do we ever do this--find ourselves discontented with the way we were created physically, mentally, emotionally? Do we wish we were taller or more athletic? Smarter and more creative?  More expressive, or less?

Accepting how God has made us is an aspect of belief or unbelief. Practicing contentment with our lot in life, including our physical appearance and the strengths and weaknesses with which we were born is part of the fabric of our confidence in God.

I love how the idea that God knew what He was doing when he intentionally created each one of us is echoed in Ephesians 2:10. Here it is in the Amplified:

"For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]."

How amazing to be His handiwork. [The NLT translates it "masterpiece." The Greek word for "handiwork" is poiema - get it—poem.] What an adventure to discover and then do those "good works which God prepared beforehand" and find those works a perfect fit for us because we were made just for them.


PRAYER: Dear God, I so readily question and talk back to you about the way I am and my apparent weaknesses and lacks. Help me to have the uttermost confidence in Your wisdom when forming me. Help me to find and do those "works" that are my destiny. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 119:33-65

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked Amplified are taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

Meet the Servant

Image: aschenputtel / pixabay.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 42-44; Psalm 119:1-32

TO CHEW ON: "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold,
My Elect One in whom My soul delights!
I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles." Isaiah 42:1


In today's passage we read the first of what Bible scholars call the Servant Songs of Isaiah. GotQuestions.org defines these:

"There are four “Servant Songs” of Isaiah that describe the service, suffering, and exaltation of the Servant of the Lord, the Messiah. All four songs show the Messiah to be God’s meek and gentle Servant. He is a royal figure, representing Israel in its ideal form; He is the high priest, atoning for the sins of the world. Isaiah predicts that this Servant of the Lord would deliver the world from the prison of sin. In the royal terminology of the ancient Near East, a servant was a “trusted envoy,” a “confidential representative,” or “one who is chosen.” The Servant Songs are found in Isaiah 42:1–9; Isaiah 49:1–13; Isaiah 50:4–11; and Isaiah 52:13—53:12" (read entire article...)

I am sure there are many scholarly approaches we could take to discovering the riches of these songs, but I'm going to look at them personally and devotionally, through the lens of Jesus being their fulfillment—the Servant that these songs celebrate.

The Servant involves all of God.
This first song is rich in all of the Godhead. All of the trinity is here: The speaker, God the Father, who "puts upon" the Servant (God the Son) the Spirit - Isaiah 42:1. Later the Servant qualifies to receive God's glory (which He will not give to another) - Isaiah 42:8.

The Servant is gentle.
I have heard the Holy Spirit described as a gentleman. That is certainly how He appears here as the Servant empowered by the Spirit administers justice, but with a soft voice and unshowy ways - Isaiah 42:2. He is also gentle with the hurting and frees the most tightly bound - Isaiah 42:3,7.

The Servant is trustworthy.
He stands for what is right and true, and is the means by which God keeps His promises - Isaiah 42:3,6.

The Servant is creative.
He was active with God in creation - Isaiah 42:5 and will be the catalyst of new things - Isaiah 42:9.

I invite you, as I am doing, to let this first Servant Song be salve to your spirit today. Do you need gentleness? Jesus is gentle. Do you crave truth and righteousness? Jesus is that too. Do you need to know you have put your faith in someone who can and will keep His promises? That's Jesus. Do you need His creative activity in your life? Ask Him to be Creator in your circumstances.


PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for this beautiful picture of Your willingness to serve God the Father, and us. Help me to find comfort and hope in Your abilities today. Amen. 

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 119:1-32

The Bible Project VIDEO: The Gospel of the Kingdom (Theme Series)



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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Our tough and tender Shepherd

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 39-41; Psalm 118

TO CHEW ON: "Behold the Lord God shall come with a strong hand ...

He will feed His flock like a shepherd;

He will gather the lambs with His arms,

And carry them in His bosom

And gently lead those who are with young." Isaiah 40:10,11

I love seeing news footage of tough athletes (hockey or football players) interacting with kids from the Vancouver Children's Hospital, or watching my strong, capable son-in-law take care of his little daughter. There is something compelling about strength combined with tenderness. In Isaiah 40 we see that aspect of God.

Though He governs with a strong hand and a ruling arm, He rules His own with the utmost of gentleness:

• He feeds His flock. [Feed - ra 'ah  means to shepherd, tend, pasture, cause one's herd or flock to graze, care for one's animals, providing them with good pasture - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 919.]

• He carries the lambs—the young and immature—in His arms and carries them close to His heart.

• He takes special care of the mothers: "gently leads those who are with young."

This passage from Isaiah reminds us of other God-as-shepherd passages.

* Psalm 80:1-2 also combines God's tenderness with strength: "Give ear O Shepherd of Israel / You who lead Joseph like a flock .... Stir up Your strength, / And come and save us."

* So does Micah 5:4: "He shall stand and feed His flock / In the strength of the Lord .." Here "He" refers to Jesus. Two verses earlier in the same passage, Micah predicts His birth in Bethlehem.

* Psalm 23:1-6 shows God shepherding the individual by bringing him to the best pasture and to still water, comforting him in a brush with death, and exalting him before enemies.

* And of course we can't forget the words of Jesus Himself as He expands on His role as our shepherd in John 10. There He talks about how His sheep know His voice (John 10:4), how entry into the sheepfold through Him (the door - John 10:7) assures them safety and an abundant life (John 10:9,10), how He is so committed to the sheep He lays down His life for them (John 10:15), and how no one has power to take the sheep away from Him (John 10:28).

What comfort and security we know in the care of our shepherd who is both strong and tender. I have put myself in His care. Have you?

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for Your power, which so often shows itself in gentleness. Help me to recognize Your voice and always follow You. Amen.


PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 118

The Bible Project VIDEO: Isaiah Part 2 of 2 (Read Scripture Series)




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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Still looking forward to "Then"

Peter heals a lame man - Acts 3:8

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 31-35; Psalm 116

TO CHEW ON: "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing.
For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness,
And streams in the desert."  Isaiah 35:5,6

The first word in our focus verse, "Then," refers back to verse 4, where Isaiah says, "Behold your God will come with vengeance … He will come and save you." Bible commentators interpret these verses to refer to the coming of Messiah—Jesus.

What a beautiful picture Isaiah paints of unheard-of fruitfulness ("the desert shall rejoice and blossoms as a rose"), the return of courage ("strengthen the weak hands / And make firm the feeble knees"), and restored health as sight replaces blindness, hearing deafness, song gushes from the throats of the mute, and the lame "leap like a deer." Hallelujah!

As we review the life of Jesus we find that many of these wonders characterized His ministry. We read how he healed blind men in Matthew 9:27 and again in John 9:6,7. He had a great healing conference "on the mountain" when "great multitudes came to Him having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed and many others … and He healed them" (Matthew 15:29,30). He actually quoted words from our Isaiah reading to John the Baptist, referring to Himself as a fulfillment of these prophecies (Matthew 11:4,5).

But there is also an aspect of Isaiah's prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled. The "Day of the Lord"—and I think we're safe in equating the "Then" in verse 4 to that "Day"—has layers of fulfillment in prophecy. A footnote in my Bible explains:

"'The Day of the Lord' is used by OT prophets to signify a time in the history of mankind when God directly intervenes to bring salvation to His people and punishment to the rebellious..."

The explanation goes on to identify four stages of the Day of the Lord:
1. The time of the prophets.

2. The time of the fulfillment of their prophecies.
Periods of fulfillment were typically merged in the prophets' views, however (they couldn't differentiate between near or distant fulfillment). From our vantage point, though, we can recognize the first coming of Jesus and the church age as part of the coming of "The Day."

But there's more to come as we look forward to the fulfillment of the "Then," the "Day of the Lord."

3. The Second Coming of Christ: is another part of this, "… during which Christ's personal righteous and universal rule will restore God's order to earth - Isaiah 11:6-9; Amos 9:13."

And finally…

4. The ultimate fulfillment of "The Day … with its new heaven and a new earth - Ezekiel 47:1-12 compared with Revelation 22:1-5" - Timothy Mark Powell, footnotes on Obadiah 15, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible p. 1190.

And so our attitude is rejoicing in something that has passed and anticipating for the future and the "Then" we still have to look forward to!

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for coming to show God's heart of abundance, restoration and healing. Help me to live with faith and soberness as I anticipate the next unveilings of "Then." Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 116

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New King James Version (NKJV) Used with permission. The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

A voice behind you

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 28-30; Psalm 115

TO CHEW ON: "Your ears shall hear a voice behind you saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left." Isaiah 30:21

We love to be guided from the front. We are reassured by someone walking or driving ahead of us, clearly showing us the right way. But often God does not guide us that way.

Isaiah refers to God guidance as "a voice behind you." What does he mean by that? Commenters make a connection to a "voice behind you" with conscience and other metaphors:

"It is thought by some to be an allusion to schoolmasters, who stand behind their scholars, or at their backs, to guide, teach, and instruct them; and by others to shepherds following their flocks, who, when they observe any of the sheep going out of the way, call them back; or to travelers, who, coming to a place where are several ways, and being at a loss which way to take, and inclining to turn to the right or left, are called to by persons behind them, and directed in the right way." - Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.

Such "voice behind you" guidance has operated in my life in at least two ways.

Sometimes when I'm faced with a fork in the road, I simply make my decision, not thinking to pray about it. It's only later, as I reconsider what I've done—sit before God about it you could say—that I realize, what I did was not such a good thing. When this happens I need to retrace my steps or change direction.

At other times, that voice has been the voice of confirmation. Sometimes I've taken on writing assignments for the simple fact that I've finished the last project and this one came along at just that time. There were no prophetic words, voices or holy thrills - not even a scripture verse on which to hang my hat. Not uncommonly I'll question whether I've made the right decision, especially when the writing gets tough or the piece gets turned down. Later, much later sometimes, I'll get confirmation that the project was a 'God thing' (it finally gets accepted, I get an email or note from someone saying it blessed them, it wins a prize, gets republished).

Have you had such "voice behind you" guidance in your life? How has it worked for you?

The comforting thing in all this is that God promises to guide us:

• Psalm 25:9: "He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way."

• Proverbs 3:6: "In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

• Isaiah 48:17: "This is what the LORD says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go."

PRAYER: Dear God, Thank You for Your promise of guidance. Help me to hear Your voice and to be willing to change direction if that is what You are saying. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 115

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Your dead shall live

Image courtesy Pixabay.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 23-27; Psalm 114

TO CHEW ON: "Your dead shall live;
Together with my dead body they shall arise.
Awake and sing, you who dwell in dusk;
For your dew is like the dew of herbs,
And the earth shall cast out the dead." Isaiah 26:19


Bible commenters view Isaiah 26:19 with its reference to the dead living again in several ways.

- Spiritual Resurrection
My Thompson Chain Bible links this passage to the topic of "Spiritual Resurrection." So does the Asbury Bible Commentary: "Isaiah 26:19 is an oracle of salvation, a shout of joy that the dead will live. There will be a national restoration (this is similar to Ezekiel's prophecy concerning the dry bones and is not a reference to individual resurrection."

- Bodily Resurrection
My Bible's notes view it as referring to a bodily resurrection: "Dead shall live: The resurrection of the righteous dead affirms the hope of eternal life." The Reformation Study Bible says something similar: "The Old Testament expresses faith in the resurrection of the body since death is an invasion of God's created order." (RSB accessed through biblegateway.com.)


Does it really matter which it is? I don't think so because a spiritual resurrection—a born again experience as Jesus called it—is the beginning of what the Bible calls eternal life which includes a physical resurrection: "The future event of finally being raised to glory with Jesus Christ" - Dictionary of Bible Terms.
Let's camp for a bit on the Bible promise that our bodies will be resurrected.
- It is the hope of psalmists

"But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave,
For He shall receive me" - Psalm 49:15.

"You, who have shown me great and severe troubles,
Shall revive me again,
And bring me up again from the depths of the earth" - 71:29.

- Hosea describes release from death in terms of freedom from a kidnapper

"I will ransom them from the power of the grave;
I will redeem them from death.
O Death, I will be your plagues!
O Grave, I will be your destruction!" - Hosea 13:14.

John recalls Jesus' words about death and resurrection. He said:

- The dead would respond and come alive at His voice:"'Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live'"  - John 5:25. 

- He said said of every one who believes in Him: "I will raise him up at the last day" - John 6:40. 

- Resurrection is promised through belief in Him:"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live' " John 11:25.

Paul describes the coming resurrection in interesting detail:

 "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first" - 1 Thessalonians 4:16.

In Revelation, John talks about the extent of this resurrection: 

" The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works" - Revelation 20:13.

What an event to look forward to! No wonder the "Resurrection" listing in the Dictionary of Bible terms includes the topics:"The resurrection as an incentive to godliness and perseverance" and "The resurrection as an incentive to endurance and suffering."

Let's keep this hope—this promise—of resurrection in mind as we ride the waves of life, and especially as we say goodbye to those we love who die in the Lord. How wonderful to know that our earthly goodbyes are not final farewells!

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to cling to Your promise of resurrection through the ups and downs of my earthly life.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 114

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

God's sure word

Image: Pixabay

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Isaiah18-22; Psalm 113

TO CHEW ON: “…for the LORD God of Israel has spoken it.” Isaiah 21:17

In our reading today Isaiah prophesies about the nations around as well as Judah. We see proclamations against Ethiopia and Egypt (Isaiah 18-20), Babylon, Edom or Dumah and Arabia (Isaiah 21), and Jerusalem (Isaiah 22).

I’m not sure how much of Isaiah 21 (the proclamation against Babylon, the chapter from which our focus verse is taken) was written after the fact and what was prophetic. My Bible’s notes explain distress at seeing Babylon fall: “Here news arrives in Jerusalem of Babylon’s 703 B.C. defeat by Sennacherib of Assyria. This terrorizes Jerusalem who fears she is next …Isaiah’s emotional response identified with Jerusalem’s at the thought of what Babylon’s fall might mean” - Nathaniel M. Van Cleave, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 896.

Some life observations and applications we can take from this section (emphases added):

• Like Isaiah did, we who believe in and acknowledge God and His sovereignty will experience our nation’s fate like every other citizen.

• No matter how prepared we are, international events that have implications for us are traumatic and can be deeply troubling. Isaiah was not blasé about the fate of his nation:

“Therefore my loins are filled with pain;
Pangs have taken hold of me, like the pangs of a woman in labor.
I was distressed when I heard it;
I was dismayed when I saw it.
My heart wavered, fearfulness frightened me;
The night for which I longed He turned into fear for me” - Isaiah 21:3,4.

• God’s words and promises are dependable: “For the LORD God of Israel has spoken it,” declared Isaiah, before Arabia ever fell (Isaiah 21:17).

Other prophets asserted this too:

“For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place” - Jeremiah 29:10.
 

"'For I am the Lord. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and perform it,' says the Lord God.” - Ezekiel 12:25.

"And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem.” - Daniel 9:12.

So did Jesus:

 "'For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled'" - Matthew 5:18

"'Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away'" - Luke 21:33

We too live in the context of international conflict and uncertainty. Let’s familiarize ourselves with the words and promises of God, and build our lives on their firm foundation.

PRAYER: Dear Father, please help me find and apply the Bible promises on which I can build my life, no matter what is going on in current events around me. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 113

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Original Exorcism

Lucifer of Liége, Liége Belgium (Image: Pixabay)

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Isaiah 13-17; Psalm 112

TO CHEW ON: “How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!” Isaiah 14:12

Here we have the interesting account of what is believed to be Satan’s casting out of heaven. My Bible’s notes explain the double application:

“These verses … are part of the proverb against the king of Babylon. The language, however, shows that he is a type of Satan” Nathaniel M. Van Cleave, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 891.

There are several other accounts of Satan’s fall:
- Jesus, when debriefing the disciples on their return from ministering in His name and excited that they could perform exorcisms, told them this was no surprise for Satan was a long-ago defeated foe. He said: “‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven’” Luke 10:18.

John in his Revelation vision tells it again:
“So the great dragon was cast out, the serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world, he was cast to earth, and his angels were cast out with him” - Revelation 12:9*

It is interesting to notice the details in Isaiah’s telling. Lucifer’s pride and self-will are on display in his “I will” statements:
“I will ascend to heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation…
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High” - Isaiah 14:13-14.

God responds to him:
He will be brought down
He will be the object of stares
He will be the object of ridicule.
He will be cast out by even the lowest place, the grave.
He will be alone (Isaiah 14:15-20).

What particularly makes me sit up and take notice in this account is the reason for Satan’s fall: pride and self-will, attitudes with which I (and perhaps you too?) am all too acquainted.

PRAYER: Dear Father, by Your Spirit help me to recognize, repent of, and root out the satanic qualities of pride and self-will that so readily take root and flourish in my life.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 112

* Some eschatologists interpret this as a future and final casting out of Satan. different from the one described in Isaiah; others see this as a flashback to that first casting out.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Thanks for reading! This year we are using The Bible Project "Timeless Reading Plan" to read through the Bible in 2018. If you'd like to read along in your own Bible, you can download a pdf of the reading plan HERE.

Draw from this well!

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 9-12; Psalm 111

TO CHEW ON: "'Behold God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
For YAH the LORD is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.
Therefore with joy you will draw water
From the wells of salvation'" - Isaiah 12:2,3



Water was a valuable and much-sought-after commodity in the parts of the east where the events of the Bible played out. The New Bible Dictionary says of Bible wells: "In the arid parts of the East, water may become as precious as gold. Wells were and still remain the subjects of fierce disputes and even strife. They became heritable and were exploited by human monopolies at an earlier date than land." The New Bible Dictionary, p. 1325.

We can gain a fuller appreciation for the "wells of salvation" picture in our focus verses today, when we review the key role that wells played in Israel's history.

- Hagar's life was saved when God opened her eyes to the well at Beer Lahai Roi (Genesis 21:14-19).
- Later Isaac settled at that same well (Genesis 25:11).
- Isaac had to dig many wells before he was finally able to make peace with his enemies and settle down in the land (Genesis 26:15-22).
- Jacob met Rachel at a well (Genesis 29:1-2; 9-12).
- Moses' desperate flight from Egypt ended at a well in Midian (Exodus 2:15).
- Three of David's men risked their lives to get David a drink of water from the Bethlehem well.(2 Samuel 23:15-16).
- Jesus offered living water to a Samaritan woman at a well (John 4:1-13).

Likening our salvation to drinking from a well yields some interesting comparisons.

• Like the well was a life-saver for Hagar and Moses, the wells of salvation are just that -- salvation -- for us spiritually. 

• What we know about wells generally (that they access water that is underground) and Isaac's experience with them tells us that finding those wells of salvation may require effort on our part. For some it is the culmination of years of searching. 

• Like wells were the hub of community life in Palestine, the "wells of salvation" are the center around which relationships develop as we meet God and get to know Him and each other in the community of believers, the church. 

• Should we stray, hopefully we would be like David hankering after water from the Bethlehem well, as we remember and long for the sweet living water of the salvation wells that satisfied like no other.

Let's drink from the wells of salvation today — the water of forgiveness and cleansing, the assurance of eternal life, the comfort of God's presence in the indwelling Holy Spirit who is our comforter, counselor, teacher...drinking deep from all the things that salvation means.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for salvation and what it means for me in everyday life. Help me to never view it casually or take it for granted. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 111

MORE:  Isaiah 12:3 - illuminated

"A kneeling figure looks up to Christ and points at a man who draws water issuing from the foot of the crucifix. Christ looks out from Heaven towards a lamb and crucifix. The crucifix and lamb are not mentioned in the text, but are an interpretation of the word "Savior". (From Biblical Art on the WWW.)

"You shall draw the waters with joy from the Saviour’s fountains" -Unknown illustrator of St. Alban's Psalter' - England first half of 12th century.

"You shall draw the waters with joy from the Saviour’s fountains" -Unknown illustrator of St. Alban's Psalter' - England first half of 12th century.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Dull hearts

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Isaiah 5-8; Psalm 110

TO CHEW ON: “And He said, ‘Go and tell these people;
“Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.”’” Isaiah 6:9


Isaiah’s encounter with God brings an overwhelming sense of his own sinfulness. But after the angel purifies his lips with a live altar coal, he responds to God’s call for help with “Here am I! Send me.”

It is then he gets the bad news. The people God is sending him to have dulled understanding. They will see but not see. Hear but not hear. Their hearts are blunted toward God and will be unreceptive to Isaiah.

A footnote in my Bible says:

“The same message that softens a receptive heart also hardens an unreceptive heart. So in sending forth the message to a people known to be unreceptive, their condition is worsened” - Nathaniel M. Van Cleave, New Spirit Filled Life Bible, p.881.

In our society, which prides itself on skepticism toward claims of absolute truth, an unreceptive attitude toward the Gospel is common. Is there a chance some of that attitude has seeped into us and begun to calcify our own hearts?

The Bible speaks eloquently of the by-products of a dull, unbelieving heart.

1. Theological confusion and dithering - 2 Timothy 4:2-4; 3:7.

2. Moral confusion - Romans 1:28-32

3. Marriage breakdown - Matthew 19:8.

4. We become blind to the fact that sin’s attractiveness is a lie - Hebrews 3:13

5. Miracles don’t happen - Matthew 13:58

6. We become vulnerable to calamity - Proverbs 28:14

7. We become vulnerable to premature death - Proverbs 29:1

8. There are repercussions on how we spend eternity - Romans 2:5

I don't know about you - but I don't like these!

PRAYER: Dear God, please give me a sensitive, believing heart. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 110

MORE: Keith Green sings his prayer for a softened heart in “My Eyes Are Dry.”





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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Egocentric idols

Image: Microsoft Clipart

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah1-4; Psalm 109

TO CHEW ON:  "Their land is also full of idols;
They worship the work of their own hands,
That which their own fingers have made." Isaiah 2:8


John Piper takes a little swipe at a common interpretation of Jesus' command, "You shall love your neighbour as yourself (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39):

"The popular misconception is that this command teaches us to learn to esteem ourselves so we can love others. This is not what the command means. Jesus does not command us to love ourselves. He assumes that we do." — John Piper, Desiring God, p. 209.

It seems to me there is only a short distance between healthy self-love and idolatrous self-love. I wonder if, in our rich, possession-obsessed society, we don't indulge in such idolatry more than we realize. We regularly look to the things we own to give us a sense of worth. We dote on their excellence and how their quality will reflect well on us. When we get down, we shop for more things to help us feel better.

Making an idol out of a car or house or pair of shoes is an easy kind of idolatry to identify. However, there are other ego-centric idols that are just as widespread, but may be harder to put their fingers on. Dale Hanson Bourke in a chapter on idols in her book Embracing Your Second Calling speaks of a Bible-study worksheet (written by Tim Keller) that probed her heart in this regard:

"...the worksheet contained a list of the types of idolatry many modern-day men and women embrace. In part, it included statements like:

Approval idolatry: 'Life only has meaning / I only have worth if I am loved and respected by...'


Control idolatry: Life only has meaning / I only have worth if I am able to get mastery over my life in the area of...'


Helping idolatry: 'Life only has meaning / I only have worth if people are dependent on me.'


Work idolatry: 'Life only has meaning / I only have worth if I am highly productive and get a lot done.'


Achievement idolatry: 'Life only has meaning / I only have worth if I am being recognized for my accomplishments / excelling in my career.'

...One suggestion from the study is to think about what you fear the most or what you worry about most often. If you follow that trail, you almost always arrive at the foot of an idol." -- Dale Hanson Bourke, Embracing Your Second Calling, pp. 90-91

These thoughts convict me. I need to sweep a spotlight into and through the tucked-away rooms of my heart to see what self-idols are hidden there. What about you?

PRAYER: Dear God, please show me where I am worshiping something/someone other than You. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 109

The Bible Project VIDEO: Isaiah 1-39 (Read Scripture Series)






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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Your new name

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 62:1-12

TO CHEW ON: "You shall be called by a new name

Which the mouth of the Lord will name." Isaiah 62:2

Whenever I read about a new name in the Bible, I think of Donna Smallenberg's painting by that title. In it a beautiful queen looks intently at a glowing white stone with an inscription on it. Smallenberg's inspiration for that painting came from Revelation 2 (Revelation 2:17) and Isaiah 62. She says of her depiction:

"This woman representing the overcoming church in Revelations 2 is given a white stone with a new name written on it. The white stone is symbolic of priestly revelation, the new name reveals her true calling and destiny. Isaiah 62 speaks of her shining like the dawn, of being a crown of beauty in the Lord's hand..."

What was her old name? "Forsaken." "Desolate" - Isaiah 62:4.

Her new name is "Hephzibah"—"My delight is in her," and "Beulah"—"married," and a "Holy People," "The Redeemed of the Lord," "Sought Out," and "A City Not forsaken" - Isaiah 62:4,12.

This new name promise is repeated in Revelation 3:12:

"He who overcomes I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem... And I will write on him My new name."

Neil Anderson, in an appendix to the book The Bondage Breaker lists statements that summarize our identity in Christ—our new names. Below are a few from a much longer list. Let's ponder them today and thank God again for the wonderful thing He did when He sent Jesus to earth to adopt us and make us His own.

• I am a new creation - 2 Corinthians 5:17.
• I am a child of God - John 1:12.
• I am a son/daughter of light not of darkness - 1 Thessalonians 5:5.
• I am Christ's friend, chosen and appointed to bear His fruit - John 15:15,16.
• I am part of the true vine, a channel of Christ's life - John 15:1,5.
• I am God's workmanship—His handiwork - Ephesians 2:10.
• I am one of God's living stones - 1 Peter 2:5.
• I am a joint heir with Christ - Romans 8:17.
• I am a citizen of heaven - Philippians 3:20, Ephesians 2:6.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You that I am Yours and have a new identity in You. Help me to live true to the names You call me. Amen.

MORE: Our thanks back to God

In the last few days I've been listening to Robin Mark's 2009 Year of Grace CD while cooking dinner. One song I can't hear enough times is his rendition of "Greater the One." As we ponder Jesus' coming to earth as a baby and all His life means for us now (our new names and all the benefits of new life in Him),  this song is the perfect response. Sing along with Robin Mark these words of appreciation and thankfulness to our beautiful Saviour.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Straighten the path

TODAY'S SPECIAL: John 1:15-28

TO CHEW ON: "He said, 'I am
The voice of one crying in the wilderness;
Make straight the way of the Lord.' " John 1:23


These words of John the Baptist are a quote from Isaiah who even seemed to have John in the picture as he wrote it:

"The voice of one crying in the wilderness;
'Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make straight in the desert
A highway for our God."  - Isaiah 40:3.

"Make straight…" What does he mean by that?

[Straight - yashar means direct, to be straight, upright, pleasing good - Dick Mills, Word Wealth, New Spirit-Filled Bible, p. 807. ]

It is the word used in one of my favorite verses that promises God's direction to me:

"In all your ways know, recognize and acknowledge Him and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths" - Proverbs 3:6 AMP.

John the Baptist was preparing his listeners for the coming of Jesus when he quoted this. During Advent we too are in a season of preparation. We prepare to celebrate Jesus' coming by buying gifts for others. We prepare programs of music, drama, and readings. We plan menus and shop for food. We clean our "inns" and get them ready for guests. But do we, in the hustle and bustle, neglect to prepare our hearts? To make a straight, direct path for Jesus to come to us, even in the busyness?

Let's take some time this advent season to again appreciate what Jesus' coming means:

• How it opens the windows of heaven for us:

"Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" - Luke 2:10,11.

• How it gives us a glimpse into God's own heart:

 "Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?" - John 14:9.

• How it gives even the most difficult experiences a penumbra of light -

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live' " - John 11:25.

• How it dispels the shadows of our most stubborn fear -

"And Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise' " - Luke 23:43.

After those reminders of what His presence means, we may confess sin that makes Him feel distant and get rid of the distractions to His presence that the seasonal running to and fro erect. With these straightened paths He will be with us in our kitchens, banquet halls, malls, the traffic, the church, the hospital… We will experience Him as Immanuel this Christmas!


PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to clear away the rubble, do away with the detours so that You have a direct route to my most inner self this Advent season. Amen.
 
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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)