Comforting Scripture from Isaiah
Can I share with you a couple of my favorite verses? There are two. This first verse is not one I have committed to memory – which is something I need to correct so Holy Spirit can remind me of it. But they are beautiful, hope filled verses. When I read them, they almost sound like songs – which someone may have written a tune to, I just don’t know about it. Both verses are from Isaiah. The first one is from chapter 43, verse 19. Right after my husband died I was feeling lost, it’s a normal part of grief, and there it was… my life had changed in a breath. And while my life was still stable and had purpose and meaning, there was an element of being lost. And then the Lord highlighted this verse for me. Isaiah 43:19 “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” I was definitely in a new season and God was definitely doing something new. I wonder how many of us are experiencing God doing something new in our lives? I know we are getting pandemic fatigued. And I know that the energy we get from being around family and friends during the Christmas season will not happen this year because we are being told to stay separate. In this season of separation, what new thing is God doing in your life? What new thing is he revealing to you or trying to teach you? For me those words…. Behold, I am doing something new….hold life and hope. With the Lord there is always something new He is up to and is inviting you to be a part of. The second verse, Isaiah 41:10, I actually did memorize this one when I was in college. It seemed like a perfect verse for a fear filled young woman to memorize. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” I love the fact that God is with us, that He strengthens us and even up holds us with His righteous right hand. Because He is with us we really don’t have to live in fear. This virus that has impacted our lives is so many ways – both negative and positive ways, is not something we should be afraid of. Now, please don’t miss understand me, I don’t mean that we don’t have to be careful and that we can ignore all the guidelines. I am a firm believer in obeying the guidelines as much as possible. What I am saying is – we don’t have to worry or be afraid. Perfect love casts out fear. (1John 4:18) In fact 2 Tim 1:7 states “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” God never meant for us to carry worry and fear in our hearts. So replace the fear with Joy, the worry with Hope the anxiousness with peace. How do we do that? By looking to our Lord, I can’t say it enough…and to me more than you, spend time facing him. My little Noah is always with me. That’s not by mistake or accident. He is always watching me, even when it doesn’t appear that he has a clue where I am, he knows exactly where I am and what I am doing. He is always looking to me. I am not saying we should be like dogs, but I am saying that we could learn from them this important trait – keep an eye on our Lord. Where is He? What is He up to? Where is He going? I know if we do that, we will catch Him doing a new thing in our lives and I know that we will experience His presence that removes the fear and brings us Joy, Hope and Peace. May this unusual Christmas season find you singing about the new thing that God is doing in your life!