Hello, my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
I assume most of us on this “WWJ” journey are parents, many of us are grandparents, and some of us are ‘great’ or even great-great grandparents! Parenting is one of the most complex and difficult endeavors in life, do you agree? And as you watch the rapid cultural/social changes in our world and the dramatic differences between the values of the generations, would you agree parenting or leadership in almost every venue is far more difficult today than it ever has been before?
All of us parents have faced the challenge of needing to discipline the children we love, sometimes severely, in order to correct their thinking, their inverted values, their wrong choices in order to help them see the grave danger of the path they are pursuing, the horrific future they are shaping for themselves, right? At the very same time, as we discipline them whom we love so dearly, we struggle to find a way to assure them that our love for them is not diminished by their poor choices or bad behavior.
That is exactly the situation God found Himself in many times with His chosen people Israel through the centuries, so I invite you to join me, especially if you’re a parent or grandparent, and let’s learn from how God did it!
The prophet Isaiah was God’s spokesman to God’s people from the time king Uzziah died in 740bc through into the early decades of king Manasseh. Isaiah was killed probably around 680bc; thus, Isaiah carried the heavy burden of being God’s spokesman to the kings and people of Israel for about 60 years! The messages Isaiah received from God and wrote in Isaiah chapters 40-66 are particularly powerful and most fit into this challenge of God expressing both His love and His discipline or judgment at the same time. Today let’s focus on Isaiah 43 which begins with a powerful word “BUT”. I’m sure you’ve used that word many times with your children and grandchildren, right? It’s a major turning point word, isn’t it?
God had just finished speaking great warning of approaching discipline/judgment through Isaiah 42:18-25 so it was important God also speak some hope, assuring His people of His enduring love, thus the word “BUT” to begin God’s message of Isaiah 43. Look closely at what God said: “But now, this is what the LORD says – He who created you, Jacob, He who formed you, Israel. Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, I have summoned you by name, you are Mine!” (Is. 43:1,2) We’ve done that as we disciplined our kids, didn’t we? We reminded them that they exist because of us, their parents! They need not fear for they bear our likeness and our name, and we love that, for they are OUR children, right?
It’s one thing to hear that from your parents or grandparents, but it’s a whole different matter when you hear GOD, the Creator of the Universe speaking it directly to you! Are you a person REDEEMED by Jesus Christ from your sin condemnation, and have you heard God the Father say those words over you: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, I have summoned you by name, you are Mine!” If YES, how did you respond to God when you heard Him say that to you? If NO, what are you waiting for? What’s holding you back from trusting Jesus Christ to be your Savior and let Him rescue you from your sin bondage and sin condemnation?
God next wanted His people to understand that while they had in their past and would in their future experienced devastation of many kinds from many sources, God would NOT abandon them in it, rather do you see God said: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…” We’ve all experienced the big storms of life that nearly overwhelmed us, but can you say with confidence that you have experience this great promise God made to His people?
Have you experienced GOD with you in the storm? The Bible is filled, of course, with those types of events recorded for us to remind us HOW God practically stands with us, strengthens us, supports us in our big storms of life. Perhaps you’ve even made that promise to your children or your grandchildren, that you’d be with them in the storm, when they were choosing a very self-destructive, dangerous path. Perhaps you have some stories to tell of when your children or grandchildren called you from jail, or came crawling back home defeated, bruised and maybe broken from the consequences of their bad choices. How did you stand with them in the storm my friends?
God then said through Isaiah: “For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…Since you are precious and honored in My sight and because I love you...do not be afraid for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring My sons and daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by My name, whom I created for My glory, whom I formed and made.” (Is. 43:3-7)
Now pause for a few seconds to imagine how those words must have sounded to those from the northern kingdom Israel who’d been conquered by the Assyrian army and hauled off as captives to faraway places. Or those from many towns in the southern kingdom Judah which had been conquered by invading groups from the Philistines or the Egyptians. And if you know Israel’s history, think of those who would be dragged off from Jerusalem to Babylon in three successive invasions by King Nebuchadnezzar. (605bc-586bc) (2 Chronicles 36)
Amazingly this great prophecy of God has happened, not once but several times since the days of Isaiah 43:7. It happened in 538bc when king Cyrus of the Persian empire signed an edict that ANY Israelite, anywhere in the Persian kingdom was free to return to and rebuild Jerusalem! (Ezra 1:1-4) It happened again in 1948 when the United Nations declared the current land of Israel to be a “Jewish State” and all Jews from anywhere in the world were invited to return to their ancient homeland! And it will yet happen again in the future during the Millennial Kingdom when King Christ Jesus will reign for 1000 years in Jerusalem, inviting Jews from everywhere to return ‘home’.
So, let’s pause here, my friends, reflecting on the majesty, faithfulness, love, redemption, forgiveness, and sovereignty of God with His people as they suffer God’s discipline and judgment for their waywardness and rebellion, while God declares His great love for His people. What can you and I learn from this for how we balance love & discipline? And if you are living in a time of God’s discipline, can you receive and own these great words of God’s promise of love and invitation for you to return to Him?
Here’s a song that might help us worship Him with Isaiah 43.
Today’s Scripture: Is. 43:1-7.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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