The Gifts of God

ISAIAH  CHAPTER 54

In this chapter Isaiah compares Jerusalem to a childless woman who could bear no children but has more than all other women. The Lord gives the message for the people to enlarge their homes and spread them out, for soon they would be bursting at the seams as descendants take over other nations and live in their cities.

The Lord says to fear not and do not live in shame. The shame of youth and sorrows of widowhood will be remembered no more, for the Creator will be your husband and the Lord Almighty is his name. For the Lord called you back from your grief as though you were a young wife abandoned by her husband. The Lord abandoned you for only a brief moment, but with great compassion he takes you back.

Now the Lord says that he swore during the time of Noah that he would never again let a flood cover the earth and destroy its life, so now he swears that he will never again pour out his anger on the people. He will remain loyal to you and his covenant of blessing will never be broken.

O storm-battered city, troubled and desolate, the Lord will rebuild you on a foundations of sapphires and walls of jewels. He will teach all citizens and prosperity will be great. Your government will be fair and just, enemies will stay away and the people will live in peace. Your enemies will be defeated because the Lord is on your side. He created the armies that destroy and no weapon turned to you will succeed. And anyone who tells lies in court will be brought to justice!

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: In the time of Isaiah,  a barren woman was shameful. Families depended on children for survival, especially when the parents became elderly. So when God compared Jerusalem to a barren woman, it was a disgraceful situation, but only through him would she have many children and change her mourning into singing.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? God made promises to Israel in this chapter. He promised to abandon her only briefly, but would have everlasting love and compassion on her as her Redeemer. God also made a covenant with Noah that he never broke. He kept his promise that a time would come when he would stop pouring out his rage and teach the citizens and give them prosperity.

Why should we care about promises made during the time of Isaiah? Because those same promises have stood the test of time and are with us today. God still gives you and I his everlasting love and thanks to the gift of the life of his only son, he continues to teach us and give us prosperity. And how do we repay him? By remembering to thank him in your daily prayers. By remembering that no matter what we do, he will always love us and share his joy with us. He experiences that joy every time we repent and turn to him.

If you have not accepted his goodness and mercy yet, please get down on your knees and pray to him right now. He does answer. He does love you - with an everlasting love. I can promise you will feel the joy that radiates from his love!

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:



HEALTH: Pray for Gabe.


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 a form of 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.


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.