Restoration and a home for Pilgrims

ISAIAH      CHAPTER 35

Isaiah tells the people of the rejoicing that will be done as the desert blossoms with flowers and become green and lovely. And with this news, those who have tired hands and weak knees will be strengthened.

Isaiah urges the people to be strong and not fear their God, who is coming to destroy their enemies. He is coming to save them. And he will open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf. The lame shall leap like a deer and those who cannot speak will shout and sing! Springs will gush forth and streams will water the desert. Marsh grass, reeds and rushes will flourish.

A main road will go throught the once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-hearted people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God's ways; fools will never walk there. Lions will not lurk along its course, and there will be no other dangers. Only the redeemed will follow it. Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return to Jerusalem, singing songs of everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear and they will be overcome with joy and gladness.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: The Highway of Holiness is the way the pilgrims will take from the desert suffering to Zion (Jerusalem), found only by following God. This chapter is a picture of the final kingdom in which God will establish his justice and destroy all evil. This is the world the redeemed can anticipate after the judgment when creation itself will rejoice in God.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? In the last chapter, Isaiah delivered a message of judgement on all nations for rejecting God. In this chapter he tells of a beautiful land without evil. God prepared the land for those who were redeemed. Just as he will prepare us a place to travel home when the times comes. Remember even in these times today,  that God will always walk with us, he doesn't just point the way, he is always beside us as we go. Pray that we will all be Pilgrims with Christ!

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:



HEALTH: Pray for Gabe. Pray for Logan during her difficult pregnancy.


Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother who faces another round of chemotherapy and her father with Alzheimer’s.Update on this family: After many trips back and forth to Ok., her mother-in law passed away last week. Our sympathy to the family. Finally she is at peace.


Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.


Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and for her sister Wanda’s soul which went to heaven.


Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.


Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.


Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.


Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.


Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.


Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.


Pray for another friend named Carolyn whose faith remains strong, but is lost and confused about where and how to spend her elder years.


SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary


RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John


LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian


SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.