Reading through Isaiah is like taking a ride on a roller coaster. You enter the pages and are wowed by God, overwhelmed by His holiness and broken by your lack of holiness. Your journey through the first 6 chapters will leave you with a very real sense of the depravity of man, the judgement of God and the consequences of sin.
The next 33 verses intensifies a laser focus on the foolishness of mankind, the impending judgement of a holy God and the results of what a life lived in disobedience to God looks like.
But after a ride down Chastisement Lane, we find the mercy of God, the goodness of His grace and the joy of knowing this Covenant keeping God who loves His people with a relentless love.
That is where we will find ourselves for the next 2 weeks.
In Isaiah 40 – 66.
Because we’ve all joined the ranks of the disobedient. Because we all know what it’s like to fail God and to feel like we want to crawl under a rock, yet we know He still sees us there. But we also know what mercy feels like when grace swoops in like a flood and carries us away into the river of forgiveness.
Because sometimes we need to bask in redemption…Isaiah for Your Heart was written to remind you that you are fully redeemed and fully His.
“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” Says your God. “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord’s hand Double for all her sins.” Isaiah 40:1-2
Perhaps you’ve been feeling like you were held captive to a difficult season. Maybe it was like you were at war…at war with the enemy…at war with the world…at war with yourself. Maybe you’ve been walking through a season of chastisement and you’ve been desperate for deliverance.
Wherever you are and whatever you’ve been going through, there comes a time when God knows you’ve had enough and that it is time for the battle to end, time for you to walk in your forgiveness and time for the chastisement to end.
You may have received what you feel is double for all your sins, but the Living God is a loving God who never chastises us without a purpose. He is our Heavenly Father who does everything….including chastising us…for our good. And no matter what we go through it is first filtered through His loving hands.
Today, sweet friend, it’s time to be comforted.
It’s time to hear the words, “Your war is over.”
It’s time to rest in the truth that your sins are forgiven.
“O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?
O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?
Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.” Isaiah 40:27-29 (NLT)
So, sweet friend…Have you been in the wilderness of chastisement for a while and wondering if you would ever be released? Have you felt like those who have said, “My way is hidden from the Lord…He doesn’t see my troubles.”?
Me too!
But His ways are beyond ours. He doesn’t grow weary. He never grows weak. Instead, He gives power to you and I…the weak, the powerless, the needy.
Today, will you receive the comfort He offers you? Will you let His strength be made completely displayed in your weakness? Will you let Him set you free from the warfare of this world and the warfare of your own heart? Or will you cling to your failures and remain enslaved to a life Jesus died to set you free from?
Love this today Stephanie. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
Thanks Cindy! Big hugs to you, my friend! 🙂
Stephanie, This is such a great post. I just recently read Isaiah 30: 15-18 recently in the Message translation. I loved it where it says we need to SETTLE DOWN. I am loving the study on Isaiah and all I am learning. Thanks for the great post and for such a wise word.
Thanks so much Angie! I LOVE Isaiah! It can’t be a rough read but the love of God and His redemption and restoration for us is threaded throughout! I’m so glad He loves us with a relentless love! 🙂
So beautiful, Stephie! I loved the feeling of comfort you shared. I love the book of Isaiah. Bless you for this! Love you!
This post was a healing balm for me! Thank you for this!
Thanks Kela! Isaiah has been such a healing balm for me more times than I can count! LOVE how God comforts us!