I am so sorry that I have not been blogging again. I'm finding it really hard to work it in during the school year.
I was struck by Isaiah 62 this morning. I don't know at all the context in which it was written, but it speaks to me personally in such a positive way.
Even verse one is so touching:
"For Zion's sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns."
To me it means that God continues striving with us, constantly encouraging us (and sometimes prodding us!) to shine for His glory. He wants to help us make our lives bring glory to His name. That makes me smile. :)
Verse 2:
"The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will name."
That verse makes me think of Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, and Saul. After they committed their lives to God, he blessed them with a new name that was more fitting to their new identity in Him. As I read this and thought of these Bible characters who got a new name, hand-picked for them by God himself, I wondered what my new name would be if God were to come to me right now and give me one. Honestly, I have no idea! :) Maybe when we get to heaven we will get new names?
Verse 3:
"You shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God."
This is a little hard to swallow, but I'm trying. I know that His blood has washed me clean, so He sees me as righteous now. This verse means to me that God really does see us as His precious beings and He really does delight in us.
Verse 4:
"You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called Hephzibah [My delight is in her], and your land Beulah [married].
This speaks deeply to me because of what I have been through personally with several relationships over the years. He will never forsake me. He delights in me.
There is an "old-fashioned" song from the Gaithers entitled "Beulah Land" and it's about when we get to heaven. I never knew what Beulah meant. And how fitting, because we are the bride of Christ!
Verse 5:
" ... And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you."
Again, it seems extremely improbable, but He does!
Verses 8-9:
"The Lord has sworn by His right hand and by the arm of His strength: surely I will no longer give your grain as food for your enemies; and the sons of the foreigner shall not drink your new wine, for which you have labored. But those who have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the Lord"
If I understand correctly, the Israelites had largely abandoned God and had given themselves to idol worship for several hundred years. Isaiah prophesies that because of their sin and rebellion, God will hand them over to their enemies and they will be taken over. In this passage, at the end of the book of Isaiah, God reassures His people that He will not leave them in that desolate, desperate state. He will once again give their land back to them when they turn back to Him. They will prosper and have peace.
It encourages me because I understand that my trial is not permanent. God WILL intervene on my behalf at some point, and I will reap His blessings. What He did for the Israelites, He can definitely do for me.
I often think of 1948--the incredible miracle that Israel became a country again--in ONE day!--after almost 2,000 years. Logically speaking, that should never have happened. It was a controversial decision that sparked local wars and global conflict. BUT, GOD did it anyway. He intervened, and Israel was blessed as a result. Who could have guessed during World War II that on the other side of this tremendous trial was one of the biggest blessings the Israeli people could hope for?!
THAT is the God we serve--a God for whom NOTHING is impossible. Not only is nothing impossible for Him, nothing is even HARD for Him. :) Good thing for us!
Verses 11-12:
"Indeed the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the world: say to the daughter of Zion, 'Surely your salvation is coming; behold His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.' And they shall call them the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord, and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken."
Our salvation is coming! We are His holy people, His redeemed, He sought us out, and He will never forsake us! :)
God bless you!
I will end with a new praise song that one of my students introduced me to:
In the Eye of the Storm. I love it, and I hope it blesses you, too.
I was struck by Isaiah 62 this morning. I don't know at all the context in which it was written, but it speaks to me personally in such a positive way.
Even verse one is so touching:
"For Zion's sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns."
To me it means that God continues striving with us, constantly encouraging us (and sometimes prodding us!) to shine for His glory. He wants to help us make our lives bring glory to His name. That makes me smile. :)
Verse 2:
"The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will name."
That verse makes me think of Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, and Saul. After they committed their lives to God, he blessed them with a new name that was more fitting to their new identity in Him. As I read this and thought of these Bible characters who got a new name, hand-picked for them by God himself, I wondered what my new name would be if God were to come to me right now and give me one. Honestly, I have no idea! :) Maybe when we get to heaven we will get new names?
Verse 3:
"You shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God."
This is a little hard to swallow, but I'm trying. I know that His blood has washed me clean, so He sees me as righteous now. This verse means to me that God really does see us as His precious beings and He really does delight in us.
Verse 4:
"You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called Hephzibah [My delight is in her], and your land Beulah [married].
This speaks deeply to me because of what I have been through personally with several relationships over the years. He will never forsake me. He delights in me.
There is an "old-fashioned" song from the Gaithers entitled "Beulah Land" and it's about when we get to heaven. I never knew what Beulah meant. And how fitting, because we are the bride of Christ!
Verse 5:
" ... And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you."
Again, it seems extremely improbable, but He does!
Verses 8-9:
"The Lord has sworn by His right hand and by the arm of His strength: surely I will no longer give your grain as food for your enemies; and the sons of the foreigner shall not drink your new wine, for which you have labored. But those who have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the Lord"
If I understand correctly, the Israelites had largely abandoned God and had given themselves to idol worship for several hundred years. Isaiah prophesies that because of their sin and rebellion, God will hand them over to their enemies and they will be taken over. In this passage, at the end of the book of Isaiah, God reassures His people that He will not leave them in that desolate, desperate state. He will once again give their land back to them when they turn back to Him. They will prosper and have peace.
It encourages me because I understand that my trial is not permanent. God WILL intervene on my behalf at some point, and I will reap His blessings. What He did for the Israelites, He can definitely do for me.
I often think of 1948--the incredible miracle that Israel became a country again--in ONE day!--after almost 2,000 years. Logically speaking, that should never have happened. It was a controversial decision that sparked local wars and global conflict. BUT, GOD did it anyway. He intervened, and Israel was blessed as a result. Who could have guessed during World War II that on the other side of this tremendous trial was one of the biggest blessings the Israeli people could hope for?!
THAT is the God we serve--a God for whom NOTHING is impossible. Not only is nothing impossible for Him, nothing is even HARD for Him. :) Good thing for us!
Verses 11-12:
"Indeed the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the world: say to the daughter of Zion, 'Surely your salvation is coming; behold His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.' And they shall call them the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord, and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken."
Our salvation is coming! We are His holy people, His redeemed, He sought us out, and He will never forsake us! :)
God bless you!
I will end with a new praise song that one of my students introduced me to:
In the Eye of the Storm. I love it, and I hope it blesses you, too.
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