Read Isaiah Chapter 54
Jesus died for you. Jesus lives for you. Life in Christ has more promise, hope, and joy than you can imagine. When Jesus was ascended to Heaven the church was tiny. 120 faithful gathered together frightened and unsure. Today 2.18 billion people claim to be Christians worldwide.. (Pew Forum, 2011). That number didn’t increase because people like Peter and Paul worked hard to spread the truth of Jesus. That number increased because The Lord made a way. The Father sent Jesus to earth to pay for our sins. Jesus lived perfectly, died, and resurrected. The Holy Spirit came and made it possible for us to accept, understand and believe the gospel. He used Peter and Paul, and He uses you and me, but it is God that does it.
The joy and glory of His Church is His joy and glory and promises us some wonderful things in Isaiah Chapter 54. He promises to grow His church and His people. He adds people and multiplies the numbers but He also adds to each person and we in become more than we were before. We mature, we change, and we become new because God makes us new and more. God is our Husband. He does all that a husband does for His bride. Verses 4-5 read,
“Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;
be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
5 For your Maker is your husband,
the Lord of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.”
The husband is a protector of the wife. It is His duty to keep her safe. He is also to provide for her and sustain for her. The husband is the spiritual guide for his wife. He has to communicate with her. How else could he be her guide? The wife provides the husband a method to demonstrate his love for her. The husband is supposed to love his wife, cherish her in all ways, not just physically but spiritually, emotionally, and mentally, and socially. (Jewish Learning).
God is all those things for His bride, the church. He loves you and He shows that love for you in many ways. Jesus died and resurrected for you. The Holy Spirit leads you and guides you, He comforts you and teaches you. The Father provides for you, protects you, and gives you gifts and blessings. He speaks to you directly, and He listens to you every time you speak to Him.
Before you accepted His mercy, He was hidden from you. The Lord has forgiven your sins, established His relationship with you and promised to never take that away from you. He will not punish you. He has sympathy and kindness. He loves you so much. Verses 9-10 read,
“This is like the days of Noah to me:
as I swore that the waters of Noah
should no more go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you,
and will not rebuke you.
10 For the mountains may depart
and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
God makes you righteous. He matures you and makes you beautiful and shining to glorify Him. Verses 11-14 read,
“O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted,
behold, I will set your stones in antimony,
and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 I will make your pinnacles of agate,
your gates of carbuncles,
and all your wall of precious stones.
13 All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
and great shall be the peace of your children.
14 In righteousness you shall be established;
you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
and from terror, for it shall not come near you.”
He strengthens you and promises that no one and nothing can enslave you again. You are free. Anyone who tries to hurt you will have to deal with Him. Verse 17 closes the chapter.
“no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed,
and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord
and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”
Revel in that awesome fathomless love. Enjoy the Lord.
References:
Jewish Learning. (n.d.). Jewish Husbands, Jewish Wives, and Jewish Partners. Retrieved from My Jewish Learning: http://www.myjewishlearning.com/life/Relationships/Spouses_and_Partners.shtml
Pew Forum. (2011, December 19). Forum on Religion and Public Life. Retrieved from Pew Research: http://www.pewforum.org/2011/12/19/global-christianity-exec/
Jesus died for you. Jesus lives for you. Life in Christ has more promise, hope, and joy than you can imagine. When Jesus was ascended to Heaven the church was tiny. 120 faithful gathered together frightened and unsure. Today 2.18 billion people claim to be Christians worldwide.. (Pew Forum, 2011). That number didn’t increase because people like Peter and Paul worked hard to spread the truth of Jesus. That number increased because The Lord made a way. The Father sent Jesus to earth to pay for our sins. Jesus lived perfectly, died, and resurrected. The Holy Spirit came and made it possible for us to accept, understand and believe the gospel. He used Peter and Paul, and He uses you and me, but it is God that does it.
The joy and glory of His Church is His joy and glory and promises us some wonderful things in Isaiah Chapter 54. He promises to grow His church and His people. He adds people and multiplies the numbers but He also adds to each person and we in become more than we were before. We mature, we change, and we become new because God makes us new and more. God is our Husband. He does all that a husband does for His bride. Verses 4-5 read,
“Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;
be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
5 For your Maker is your husband,
the Lord of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.”
The husband is a protector of the wife. It is His duty to keep her safe. He is also to provide for her and sustain for her. The husband is the spiritual guide for his wife. He has to communicate with her. How else could he be her guide? The wife provides the husband a method to demonstrate his love for her. The husband is supposed to love his wife, cherish her in all ways, not just physically but spiritually, emotionally, and mentally, and socially. (Jewish Learning).
God is all those things for His bride, the church. He loves you and He shows that love for you in many ways. Jesus died and resurrected for you. The Holy Spirit leads you and guides you, He comforts you and teaches you. The Father provides for you, protects you, and gives you gifts and blessings. He speaks to you directly, and He listens to you every time you speak to Him.
Before you accepted His mercy, He was hidden from you. The Lord has forgiven your sins, established His relationship with you and promised to never take that away from you. He will not punish you. He has sympathy and kindness. He loves you so much. Verses 9-10 read,
“This is like the days of Noah to me:
as I swore that the waters of Noah
should no more go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you,
and will not rebuke you.
10 For the mountains may depart
and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
God makes you righteous. He matures you and makes you beautiful and shining to glorify Him. Verses 11-14 read,
“O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted,
behold, I will set your stones in antimony,
and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 I will make your pinnacles of agate,
your gates of carbuncles,
and all your wall of precious stones.
13 All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
and great shall be the peace of your children.
14 In righteousness you shall be established;
you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
and from terror, for it shall not come near you.”
He strengthens you and promises that no one and nothing can enslave you again. You are free. Anyone who tries to hurt you will have to deal with Him. Verse 17 closes the chapter.
“no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed,
and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord
and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”
Revel in that awesome fathomless love. Enjoy the Lord.
References:
Jewish Learning. (n.d.). Jewish Husbands, Jewish Wives, and Jewish Partners. Retrieved from My Jewish Learning: http://www.myjewishlearning.com/life/Relationships/Spouses_and_Partners.shtml
Pew Forum. (2011, December 19). Forum on Religion and Public Life. Retrieved from Pew Research: http://www.pewforum.org/2011/12/19/global-christianity-exec/
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