Do you remember that song from several years ago - - -"Don't worry...'bout a thing! 'Cause every little thing...gonna be alright!"
It's hard not to worry, isn't it?
James, Jesus' half brother, said that our lives are like a mist, a vapor (James 4:14). God says, in Isaiah 40:7 that we are as grass. King Solomon said, "All things are wearisome, more than one can say." (Eccles. 1:8). Some days we feel so heavy with care and worry and troubles that we are at the point of paralysis.
Yesterday at dusk the Jewish New Year began - - - Rosh Hashanah. This year is what is called a Shmita year, or year of release. A Shmita occurs every 7 years in the Jewish calendar. There have been all sorts of dire prognostications by American eschatologists (prophecy hounds) as this year has approached. You see, 2001 (9/11) and 2008 (stock market crash) were also Shmita years. To further up the ante, we enter this week into a tetrad of "blood moons". This particular alignment of blood-red moons with the Jewish feasts only occurs very rarely; accordingly, many believe it could portend significant changes in our world. I do not know; no man does. But, I am watchful.
We are living in a time when God's comfort and peace seem especially needed.
When I was young, I thought I could "beat the system". I thought that, because I knew the Truth, all my paths would be smoothed out as I walked through this life. Somehow along the way, I had latched on to some false teaching, because this is a lie from Satan. God does promise that all the paths will be smoothed out, but not until Christ returns to set up His earthly kingdom. Isaiah 40:3-5
There is nothing in Scripture that promises the Christ-follower a trouble-free life. What God does promise is to use our troubles to draw us closer to Him and to bless others. And, that His joy can be our companion on the path.
Paul expresses this in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ---
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."
The Psalmist, David, expresses it in Psalm 16:11 ---
"You will make known to me the path of life. In Your presence is fullness of joy!"
Whenever I read Isaiah 40, I hear Handel's melodies from his masterwork, "The Messiah", playing through my head. Such incredible beauty! But, what is going on here in this chapter?
God is telling Isaiah to express His comfort to His people, to speak to them softly and tenderly. Isaiah re-emphasizes this theme in other places - - - Isaiah 49:13, 51:3, 51:12, 52:9, 66:13... This is a stark contrast to much of Isaiah's messages which have warned of impending judgment. So, this message from God is like salve on a painful wound. God's message of comfort was intended not only for the Jews of Isaiah's day, but also for us.
In what shall we take comfort, then? (Chapter 40)
1. That our God is the Almighty Creator of all good things and holds them all together, keeps the universe expanding. (vs. 12, 26, 28)
2. That our God is Sovereign over all. (vs. 10, 13-17)
3. That He tenderly cares for us (vs.11) as a shepherd cares for his flock of sheep. (Psalm 23)
4. That He is incomparable. (vs. 18-26)
5. That He will come and reveal His glory. (vs. 3-5) Jesus' glory was revealed in His first coming, and will be revealed in a different way when He returns. At His return, all people will see His glory.
6. That God's Word lasts, endures, forever. (vs. 8)
7. That He strengthens us with His fresh strength if we will look to Him, put our hope and trust in Him...."wait upon Him". (vs. 31)
Here are some more verses related to God's comfort expressed to us:
Psalm 27:13-14
"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."
John 16:33
"I have told you these things so that in me {Jesus} you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world."
Romans 8:37-39
"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation
will EVER be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!"
Hebrews 13:15
"I will never leave you nor forsake you."
What precious promises! Claim them today, in light of what may be troubling you. There is no circumstance of this life that is bigger than our God! He longs for you to draw near to Him in prayer and submission, so that He can do a marvelous work in your life, so that He can express His glory. Hang on, dear one! Receive His comfort and hang on tight to Him. Breathe in and breathe out His comfort today.
Dear Father of all Compassion and all Comfort - - - you are the Source of all good things. We come before you today, laying down all our brokenness, our sorrow, our disappointment, our disenchantment, our emptiness, our loneliness, our failures, our sins. We lay them at Your feet while confessing our inadequacies and Your matchlessness; and, we enter into Your presence. There we receive Your comfort and Your fullness of joy! In Jesus' name, amen.
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