Isaiah 63-66 Such Love!

Wow!  What an ending!  God says so much here about His love for those who love Him:  “He has shown great mercy to us and has been very kind to us.  He said, ‘These are My people’ … So He saved them.  When they suffered, He suffered also.  He sent His own Angel to save them.  Because of His love and kindness, He saved them.”

Looking from our end, Isaiah prayed, “Lord, look down from heaven and see … Where is Your strong love and power?  Why are You keeping Your love and mercy from us?  You are our Father … Lord, why are You making us wonder from Your ways?  Why do You make us stubborn so that we don’t honor You? [This is God’s judicial blindness for our willful sin – His way of helping us see the enormity of our sin.]  For our sake, come back to us, Your servants who belong to You.”

Then we see God from a proper perspective:

“You have done amazing  things we did not expect.  You came down … No one has ever heard of a God like You … who helps the people who trust You … You help those who enjoy doing good, who remember how You want them to live.  But You were angry because we sinned.  For a long time we disobeyed, so how can  we be saved?  All of us are dirty with sin.  All the right things we have done are like filthy pieces of cloth … our sins, like the wind, have carried us away … You have turned away from us and have let our sins destroy us.  But You are our Father.  We are like clay and You are the Potter;  Your hands made us all.  Lord, don’t continue to be angry with us; don’t remember our sins forever.  Please, look at us, because we are Your people.”

It is only because of God’s mercy and grace that we receive anything from Him, because we are certainly not deserving of anything!  Yet look what He did:

“I made Myself known to people who were not looking for Me.  I was found by those who were not asking Me for help … All day long I stood ready to accept people who turned against Me, but the way they continue to live is not good; they do anything they want to do.  Right in front of Me they continue to do things that make Me angry.”

What does God have in store for those who love Him?  “All My people will be blessed by the Lord; they and their children will be blessed.  I will provide for their needs before they ask, and I will help them while they are still asking for help.”

I also was thrilled to be reminded of an awesome promise from God regarding our hardships:  “I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born … Like babies you will be nursed and held in My arms and bounced on My knees.  I will comfort you as a mother comforts her child … Your names and your children will always be with Me.”

Father, we don’t deserve such love, but I am so thankful that You give it freely anyway.  Forgive me for my sins and help me to understand this incredible love so that I will not want to disappoint You again.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford