Reading: Isaiah 47-51
Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted His people, and will have mercy upon His afflicted. But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee (Is. 49:13-15).
Having spoken of the evils that would eventually lead Judah into captivity, the Lord now had Isaiah begin to minister to a generation that had not yet been conceived, a generation that would one day endure captivity at the hands of the Babylonians. On that day, the Lord knew that His children would cry out, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me, and He hastened to have Isaiah assure them that would not be the case. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; thy walls are continually before Me (Is. 49:16). Unlike earthly parents, whose love might be conditional and therefore revocable, our heavenly Father’s love is boundless. He will not forget His people because it is not in His nature to do so.
Christians of today find it easy to accept the suffering of the ungodly. We even look upon the suffering of other Christians with jaded and knowing eyes, believing that they must have secret sins and vices that led to their downfall. We believe that God is very much present, even in the face of their sufferings. Yet when it comes to facing our own trials and tribulations, many of us are quick to cry out, just as the exiles did, the Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Instead of examining our lives for sins and faults that might have precipitated our situation or seeking to discover God's lesson, we assume God has lost sight of us.
Through Isaiah, God sought to remind His people that they were never alone, no matter where they were or what circum- stances surrounded them. He was not speaking to those who had given up on God but rather to those who greatly suffered under the misguided belief that God, whom they still loved, had given up on them. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of His servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God (Is. 50:10).
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). As children of a loving God, we must never doubt His presence in our lives. When we give in to our human natures and succumb to the temptation of sin, we might be tempted to believe that we have succeeded in pushing God away, but nothing could be further from the truth. He is with us in our suffering, even as He was with the Israelites in exile. If we allow Him to, He will use our suffering to remold and restore us to His perfect will. As we still ourselves before Him, waiting in earnest, continuous prayer, let us endeavor to remember how deeply He loves us and how far He has been willing to go so that we might one day be able to come home.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
Thought For Today:To speak as if we are forsaken and forgotten by God reveals a lack of faith in Him.
Christ Revealed:As the Light to the Gentiles (nations) (Is. 49:6). Jesus said: I am the Light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5; Luke 2:32; Acts 13:47; 26:23).
Word Studies:47:8 carelessly = securely; 47:11 put it off = avert or avoid it; 47:15 quarter = own region; 48:2 stay = rely; 48:10 refined = tested; not with silver = not like silver, which requires heat you could not bear; 49:21 removing = wandering.
Pray For Country: Jennifer Palafox, Bible Pathway Ministry President • Country: Wallis & Futuna (455,000) South Pacific • Major Languages: Wallisian, Futunian, French • Religious Freedom • 99% Roman Catholic; 1% Other • Prayer Suggestion: Sing praises to the Lord (Ps. 30:4).
Optional Readings:James 5