Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.
Isaiah 49:8-9 (NIV)
“This is what the Lord says: “In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’ “They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill.”
Isaiah 49:8-9 (MSG)
“God also says: “When the time’s ripe, I answer you. When victory’s due, I help you. I form you and use you to reconnect the people with me, to put the land in order, to resettle families on the ruined properties. I tell prisoners, ‘Come on out. You’re free!’ and those huddled in fear, ‘It’s all right. It’s safe now.’ There’ll be foodstands along all the roads, picnics on all the hills.”
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“This is what the Lord says, “In a favorable time I have answered You, and in a day of salvation I have helped You; and I will keep watch over You and give You for a covenant of the people, to restore the land [from its present state of ruin] and to apportion and give as inheritances the deserted hereditary lands, saying to those who are bound and captured, ‘Go forth,’ and to those who are in [spiritual] darkness, ‘Show yourselves [come into the light of the Savior].’ They will feed along the roads [on which they travel], and their pastures will be on all the bare heights.” -AMPLIFIED
“Be confident; God is able.” ~Woodrow Kroll
In yesterday’s passage, we learned that one day the Chosen One will receive the respect and honor due to Him.
“Yahweh, Israel’s Kinsman-Redeemer and Holy One, says to the one who is deeply despised and repulsed by rulers and a slave to the ruling class:
“Kings will see and stand up in respect; princes will bow down to honor the faithfulness of Yahweh,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” -Isaiah 49:7 (The Passion Translation)
In today’s passage, we will continue to learn of God’s faithfulness, not only to Israel, but to the world as a whole. We learn of God’s gift to the people, the One who would be a Covenant to God’s people.
“Eternal One: When the time was right, I answered you; on the day you were delivered, I was your help. I will watch over you, and give you as a promise, a binding covenant to the people. Through you, My gift to the people, the land of promise will recover. Ancestral ground, once deserted, will be entrusted to them. Through you, My gift to the people, I will declare to the prisoners, “Come out. Now you are free”; to those who are held in darkness, “Come out into the light.” They will find sustenance wherever they are—Along the roads or in the open hills—with peace of mind, in comfort and security.” -(VOICE)
God says: at the acceptable time, at the appointed time, at the proper or right time, He would answer. (I am so thankful that God knows exactly when and where things need to be accomplished. He is never too early, and He is never late. Hallelujah!)
Remember, Yahweh is speaking to the Messiah in this passage. He has some very important things to say to Him too. In verse 8 alone we find these six significant factors:
1.) “I will hear your prayers.” -(ICB)
2.) “On the day of salvation I will help you.” -(ICB)
3.) “I will protect you.” -(ICB)
4.) “And you will be the sign of my agreement with the people.” -(ICB)
5.) “You will bring back the people to the land.” -(ICB)
6.) “You will give the land that is now ruined back to its owners.” -(ICB)
God hears. God saves. God protects. God provided the Covenant. God will restore. God will resettle.
Notice, it will all happen through God’s abilities, not the people of Israel’s, and not ours. Verse 9 goes on to say:
1.) The prisoner will be declared free.
2.) The one who walks in darkness will be told to, “Step out into the light!”
3.) God’s people, who were hungry, will find an abundance to eat, even on the bare hills. (God likens them to sheep, grazing beside the roads and find pasture on barren hillsides. )
“The Lord says, “Your request has come at a favorable time. I will keep you from harm and give you as a token and pledge to Israel, proof that I will reestablish the land of Israel and reassign it to its own people again. Through you I am saying to the prisoners of darkness, ‘Come out! I am giving you your freedom!’ They will be my sheep, grazing in green pastures and on the grassy hills.” -(TLB)
“The LORD God extended His help and preservation to the Messiah all through His earthly ministry. Yet if there is any specific time that this promise was fulfilled, it was as Jesus died on the cross and trusted in the promise of resurrection. It is beautiful to imagine Jesus comforting and strengthening His soul with these promises as He anticipated and endured the ordeal of the cross. He could know, based on this promise, that the LORD would hear, help, and preserve Him.” ~David Guzik
The Apostle Paul reminded the Ephesians of the importance of trusting God, even when they did not understand “how” He would work things out for their good. His message: “Never doubt God.” For He can do more than we could ever ask, or even think.
“Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you. Now we offer up to God all the glorious praise that rises from every church in every generation through Jesus Christ—and all that will yet be manifest through time and eternity. Amen!” -Ephesians 3:20-21 (The Passion Translation)
Israel thought they were in an impossible situation. Often, we too have that same mentality. Sadly, even Christians at times, doubt God’s ability to save them. Shame on us. We need to hold on to something that Paul told the church in Rome, if God is for us, who can be against us?
“So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.” -Romans 8:31-39 (MSG)
“With all the decision making in my life, I often have to pause, look up and remember God is the One working behind the scenes. I say to myself, He is able to work all things out for good. I just need to submit to Him and His ways. I can rest.” ~K.P. Yohannan
My friend, our God is able! Never doubt His ability and power. Take time to refresh your mind on what Scripture tells us. Our God is never too late in answering our prayers, nor is He too early. The Master of the Universe answers precisely on time. We need to learn to trust His timing and His abilities.
“God wants us to know that He is always there for us. When we face big problems, are God is bigger but even in the small things, He is not absent. Besides, to God everything is small no matter the size. Every one of us will have times in our lives that we don’t see a way out, but we know that God is for us and for Him, nothing is too hard.” ~Jack Wellman
My Prayer:
Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, you are the God who cares for me. Your Word tells me that you love me with an everlasting love, and nothing can separate me from that love. Hallelujah! I am reminded over and over again that you are in complete control of all things. And that Your intentions for me are for good, not evil. I ask that you help my faith and trust in you to grow stronger. Remind me that your answers always come at just the right time. There are no accidents or coincidences with you. Nothing is too difficult for you, and you are able to do exceedingly abundantly more than I could ask or think. Lord, I am choosing to trust your will in my life.
Growing with God 