1 Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at your presence— 2 as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence! 3 When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. 4 From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him. 5 You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved? 6 We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. 7 There is no one who calls upon your name,
who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.
8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand. 9 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
and remember not iniquity forever.
Behold, please look, we are all your people. 10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness;
Zion has become a wilderness,
Jerusalem a desolation. 11 Our holy and beautiful house,
where our fathers praised you,
has been burned by fire,
and all our pleasant places have become ruins. 12 Will you restrain yourself at these things, O Lord?
Will you keep silent, and afflict us so terribly?
Repeat reading this chapter several times to allow the words sink into your heart. Each time when you read, make it your plea, confession and petition for mercy to God.
What is the word or phrase that touches you today as you read and meditate on this passage? What is your emotion as you read this word or phrase? How is that related to your current situation? What does God tell you to do?
Based on this chapter, write a prayer to God for your church and members of your church.
PRAYER:
Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.
7 I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord,
the praises of the Lord,
according to all that the Lord has granted us,
and the great goodness to the house of Israel
that he has granted them according to his compassion,
according to the abundance of his steadfast love. 8 For he said, “Surely they are my people,
children who will not deal falsely.”
And he became their Savior. 9 In all their affliction he was afflicted,
and the angel of his presence saved them;
in his love and in his pity he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
10 But they rebelled
and grieved his Holy Spirit;
therefore he turned to be their enemy,
and himself fought against them. 11 Then he remembered the days of old,
of Moses and his people.
Where is he who brought them up out of the sea
with the shepherds of his flock?
Where is he who put in the midst of them
his Holy Spirit, 12 who caused his glorious arm
to go at the right hand of Moses,
who divided the waters before them
to make for himself an everlasting name, 13 who led them through the depths?
Like a horse in the desert,
they did not stumble. 14 Like livestock that go down into the valley,
the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest.
So you led your people,
to make for yourself a glorious name.
Isaiah emphasizes the faithfulness of God against Israel’s unfaithfulness. Even though people cannot attain righteousness on their own, God makes it available to them through the work of His Servant.
What is the word or phrase that touches you today as you read and meditate on this passage? What is your emotion as you read this word or phrase? How is that related to your current situation? What does God tell you to do?
What is the “exodus event” (v.11-14) that you fondly recall in your life when it was clear that God was working in you? How do you feel now when times of spiritual emptiness occur? Will you recall the past to get encouragement?
Talk with God about your present struggles and listen to His response.
PRAYER:
Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.
1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
and her salvation as a burning torch. 2 The nations shall see your righteousness,
and all the kings your glory,
and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will give. 3 You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. 4 You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
and your land shall no more be termed Desolate,
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
and your land Married;
for the Lord delights in you,
and your land shall be married. 5 For as a young man marries a young woman,
so shall your sons marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
so shall your God rejoice over you.
6 On your walls, O Jerusalem,
I have set watchmen;
all the day and all the night
they shall never be silent.
You who put the Lord in remembrance,
take no rest, 7 and give him no rest
until he establishes Jerusalem
and makes it a praise in the earth.
When you read the second time, reverse all the “you” to “I and me”.
What is the word or phrase that touches you today as you read and meditate on this passage? Tell God how it makes you feel to know that He delights in you and is happy with you.
Rest in the truth that God delights in you. If you wish, imagine situations when you feel anything but special (i.e., when you are hard on yourself, when someone puts you down, or when you get back a test, or work review that isn’t so great). See yourself responding to the situation by saying, “Yes, this is true, but God delights in me.”
PRAYER:
Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.
