September 27

Isaiah 51:1-53:12; Ephesians 5:1-33; Psalm 69:19-36; Proverbs 24:7

There must have been such comfort for the exiled people in Isaiah's prophetic words. Thrust from their homeland and unable to worship their God properly, the promises for "joy and gladness [to] be found in [Zion], thanksgiving and the sound of singing" (Is. 51:3, a description repeated in vs. 11) must have been a lifeline.  They needed the hope.  And what hope it was: "My salvation will last forever; my righteousness will never fail" (vs. 6, repeated almost verbatim in vs. 8).  The prospect of vengeance, too, must have been reassuring (see vs. 23).  They were reminded: God remembered them; God heard them; God would respond.

We are reminded: God remembers us; God hears us; God will respond. 

And God is with us. "The LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard" (Is. 52:12).   God is ahead of us; God is behind us; we are hedged about by him.  I'm reminded of Psalm 139: "You hem me in - behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me."  What comfort!

And God delivers us.  The rest of our passage in Isaiah today draws a picture of Jesus - tender, despised, carrying our sorrows, pierced for our transgressions, oppressed.  "He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors" (Is. 53:12).  The sin of many - that's my sin, and it's yours.  The transgressors - that's me, and it's you.  

I initially thought I would write this post about the marriage relationship as described in this chapter in Ephesians.  But I'll instead say that Tim Keller's sermons on this passage, available on Redeemer Church's website, would be the basis of my thoughts. Instead of paraphrasing his sermons, I will leave him to say all that's needed and with much more eloquence.  (Personally, I don't recommend the sermon on gender differences; the rest of it is g.r.e.a.t.)

And, truly, I was overcome by the movement of God toward his people.  It's condescension, in the best possible way.  It's inclination; it's orientation.  God was intimately involved in his people's lives in the past and nothing about that has changed in the present.  Nor will it in the future.  

God remembers us.

God hears us.

God will respond.

God is with us.

God delivers us.

Hallelujah.

- Sarah Marsh

How did God speak to you in Scripture today? Click here to share your reflections on God's word or read past posts. We'd love to hear from you.