Isaiah 30:8-18

“…blessed are all those who wait for him” (Is 30:18, ESV)

What does it mean to wait? Patience readily comes to mind. But there is more to the question I feel. It goes beyond patience to trust: not knowing when or how the one you are waiting for will show up, but having faith, believing that they will come through for you before it’s too late.

I guess it’s not any easy thing for us to wait for God, which is probably why he said those who do wait for him will be blessed. But waiting means trusting. And the LORD God, the Holy One of Israel has said in Isaiah 30:15, “in quietness and trust shall be your strength” (ESV).

Our strength comes from God as we trust in him. And as we trust in him, we learn to wait for him. And when we wait for him, he blesses us. So difficult to actually live out, but such a wonderful promise.
And as the psalmist says, “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” (Ps 27:14, NIV).

Isaiah 30:1-7

I don't know how many times I have read these verses over that past few months, but as I read them yesterday morning, it was as thouugh I understood them for the first time. The verse God used to really draw me in and open my eyes was verse 2--"Who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction..."(ESV).

How dangerous it is for us to go about making and carrying out big decisions without first consulting God. When we try live our life on our own and look to the world for help, shame and disgrace will be our reward.

"Egypt's hlep is worthless and empty; therefore I have called her 'Rahab who sits still'" (verse 7, ESV).

Isaiah 29 (part 2)

The last few days, and especially yesterday, seem like a whirlwind—a crazy, hectic, whirlwind. It has, not surprisingly, kind of stressed me out. I would like nothing better right now than to escape to a small cabin somewhere way up in the mountains and far away from anything else man made, including the sound of airplanes. But that is not feasible right now.

However, I have been sensing God wanting me to stop and slow down a bit. It is something I have been wanting myself and have been trying. Strangely though, it is not as easy as it sounds. But for a brief moment this morning, I succeeded. For a few minutes I was able to find myself alone, sitting on a couch. And I read Isaiah 29. When I began to drift away in my thoughts, there were a few verses or partial phrases that quickly grabbed me and drew me back in. Verses 5 and 6 where one such case. “And in an instant you will be visited by the LORD of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire” (ESV). I couldn’t help but marvel at how this same God is also a God of peace and is the One in whom I find rest, and in fact, the only one in whom I can ever find any real rest. He is my shepherd (Psalm 23).

Verse 13 and 14 reminded me that I still have questions and that I will never be able to understand everything. It doesn’t make sense to me that God would show favor, as it appears he is doing, to some one who honors him with their lips while their hearts are far from him.

Then I came to verse 18 and my heart began to fill with joy. “In that day, the deaf shall hear… the blind shall see… and the meek shall obtain fresh joy in the LORD” (vv 18-19, ESV). And by the time I finished verse 24, God had so stilled my heart, that all troubles and anxieties had virtually vanished from my mind. And for the next few minutes I was able to breathe easy and find the rest and peace I so desperately wanted and needed. I find it encouraging to know that God’s Word, no matter what passage, has the amazing power to slow one down and give to them what they need, be it comfort, encouragement, conviction, or peace.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul” (Psalm 23:1-2, ESV).

Psalm 122 (A slight detour from Isaiah)

This morning I decided to read from the book of Psalms. As I was looking for a particular chapter to read, I came across Psalm122. Psalm 123 was on the same page and so I decided to read that chapter instead. But I felt a little nudging, and inclination of sorts to go back and at least read Psalm 122 as well. So I did. And God spoke to me. He told me to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. He even told me what to pray: "May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels" (Psalm 122: 6-7). With all the unrest in the Middle East, may this be your prayer this morning as well.

Isaiah 29

As I read Isaiah 29 this morning, I was not really sure what the point being made was. Beyond the obvious surface of words, I didn’t quite know what the meaning of these verses is. And yet I didn’t really care. For me, it was like listening to a friend talk about something and you don’t have the slightest clue what they are saying, but you still enjoy listening to them talk. I didn’t really have the slightest clue what God was saying to me this morning, but that didn’t matter. It was just really nice to hear him speak… to hear his voice.

Isaiah 28:23-29

I must confess I have not posted here in quite awhile because of these verses. They have bothered me, perhaps because I do not know anything about farming and have struggled greatly with trying to understand the meaning, be it figurative or literal. But instead of camping here until I figured out or understood the meaning, I drifted to other passages, visiting this passage only periodically. If I do not come to terms with the fact of my avoidance of the bewildering, I will never move on. And there are some amazing things in the remaining 32 chapters of this book. Maybe at some other time in my life God will open my eyes to the meaning of these verses, but for now I need to accept the simple fact I do not, nor cannot, know and/or understand everything in scripture. However, I can take confidence and find assurance in the fact that "the LORD of hosts... is wonderful in counsel and excelling in wisdom" (v29, ESV). And oh how beautiful and sweet those words are to my ears.

Isaiah 28:14-22

"therefore thus says the Lord GOD, 'Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion,
a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
"Whoever believes will not be in haste."
And I will make justice the line,
and righteousness the plumb line;
and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,
and waters will overwhelm the shelter.'"—Isaiah 28:16-17 (ESV).

When the LORD speaks, it would behoove a person to pay close attention. I cannot help be feel an overwhelming joy and peace when I read these verses. Life is full of projects and deadlines and meetings. Life is full of busyness. And overtime they begin to wear a person down. They wear me down anyway. It is all too easy for me to get caught up in doing things that I forget to spend time with my Creator. And eventually I forget that he is in control of everything. And then I read the news and wonder where the good is.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the song titled, “I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day.” One of the verses says: “And in despair I hung my head. ‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said. ‘For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men.’”

But the next verse says: “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep! God is not dead nor doth he sleep. The wrong shall fail the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men.”

How reassuring it is to know that the one whom I put my trust in, whom I given my life to, has laid strong foundation, a tested (and proven) stone that will last for eternity. When I stop and think on these verses and what they say about God, all things simply fade away and the only thing left standing is Jesus Christ.

My confidence is in him and him alone.