Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.
Isaiah 49:13 (NIV)
“Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.”
Isaiah 49:13 (MSG)
“Heavens, raise the roof! Earth, wake the dead! Mountains, send up cheers! God has comforted his people. He has tenderly nursed his beaten-up, beaten-down people.”
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“Shout for joy, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth, and break forth into singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people and will have compassion on His afflicted.” -AMPLIFIED
“The LORD calls for creation itself to add their voices in praise for all the Messiah has done.” ~David Guzik
Yesterday’s passage reminded us of Adonai’s Providence. We were made aware, once again, of what God will do for His people.
“They will never be hungry or thirsty. Neither scorching sun nor desert wind will hurt them,
for he, the Loving One, will guide them and lead them to restful, renewing streams of water.
I will level all my mountains as a road for them and raise up my highways. Look! They will come from faraway lands—some from the north, some from the west, and some from the land of Sinim.” -Isaiah 49:10-12 (The Passion Translation)
In today’s text, we are reminded that Yahweh is a compassionate God. He shows tenderness, and comforts those He loves.
“The Hebrew word for “compassion” is racham, a Hebrew homophone for “womb.” The implication is that God has a compassionate love for you, greater than a birth mother has for her child. God’s love comes from deep within his innermost being and births living mercy poured out over us. Racham can be translated “pity, grace, favor, tender affection, or compassion.” The very core of God’s being is filled with love and compassion for you.” ~The Passion Translation footnote
“Oh joy! Be glad—sky! Take joy—earth! Burst into song—mountains! For the Eternal, moved to compassion, has comforted and consoled His people.” -(VOICE)
We find nature being personified, the heavens are singing for joy, the earth bursts into song, with shouting and glee. The mountains, not to be left out, breaks out in joyful song in abandon. Why is this happening? Because the Lord has comforted his beloved people. He has not forgotten them. He said that He would not. He had promised that He would restore them. Yet, in the following verse we see that Israel had lost their hope:
“But Zion has said, “Yahweh has forsaken me. My Lord has forgotten me—I’m all alone.” -Isaiah 49:14 (The Passion Translation)
Israel needed to be reminded that Adonai would never abandon or forget His people. So, the earth rejoices in this knowledge, as Adonai tenderly comforts His children.
“Sing for joy, O heavens; shout, O earth. Break forth with song, O mountains, for the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion upon them in their sorrow.” -(TLB)
Earlier in the book of Isaiah we found other references to the God of compassion, the God who cared for His people, and whose deepest desire was to restore her to good standing with Him.
“Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God. “With gentle words, tender and kind,
assure Jerusalem, this chosen city from long ago, that her battles are over.
The terror, the bloodshed, the horror of My punishing work is done.
This place has paid for its guilt; iniquity is pardoned; its term of incarceration is complete.
It has endured double the punishment it was due.” -Isaiah 40:1-2 (VOICE)
Further along in the book of Isaiah, we will find this reminder of God’s compassion for His people. It ends with a reminder that God will never give up on those He loves:
“For just a brief moment I deserted you, but with tender feelings of love I will gather you back to me.
In a surge of anger, for just the briefest moment, I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting kindness, I will show you my cherishing love,” says Yahweh, your Kinsman-Redeemer.
“To me, this is like the time when I vowed that the waters of Noah’s flood would never again cover the earth. Now I vow to you that I will neither be angry with you nor rebuke you.
Even if the mountains were to crumble and the hills disappear, my heart of steadfast, faithful love
will never leave you, and my covenant of peace with you will never be shaken,” says Yahweh,
whose love and compassion will never give up on you.” -Isaiah 54:7-10 (The Passion Translation)
Even in the New Testament we find this promise of God’s compassion, and the fact that He will never give up on us, despite how far we have wandered away from Him. The parable of the loving Father and the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15:11-32 is a reminder of God’s ever consistent loving heart. Remember the Father’s response to the Son when the Son came home:
“So the young son set off for home. From a long distance away, his father saw him coming, dressed as a beggar, and great compassion swelled up in his heart for his son who was returning home. The father raced out to meet him, swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly, and kissed him over and over with tender love. Then the son said, ‘Father, I was wrong. I have sinned against you. I could never deserve to be called your son. Just let me be—’The father interrupted and said, ‘Son, you’re home now!’ Turning to his servants, the father said, ‘Quick, bring me the best robe, my very own robe, and I will place it on his shoulders. Bring the ring, the seal of sonship, and I will put it on his finger. And bring out the best shoes you can find for my son. Let’s prepare a great feast and celebrate. For my beloved son was once dead, but now he’s alive! Once he was lost, but now he is found!’ And everyone celebrated with overflowing joy.” -Luke 15:20-24 (The Passion Translation)
We can also turn to Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church and find these words of comfort:
“Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts and encourages us in every trouble so that we will be able to comfort and encourage those who are in any kind of trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as Christ’s sufferings are ours in abundance [as they overflow to His followers], so also our comfort [our reassurance, our encouragement, our consolation] is abundant through Christ [it is truly more than enough to endure what we must].” -2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (AMP)
“No matter how low down you are; no matter what your disposition has been; you may be low in your thoughts, words, and actions; you may be selfish; your heart may be overflowing with corruption and wickedness; yet Jesus will have compassion upon you. He will speak comforting words to you; not treat you coldly or spurn you, as perhaps those of earth would, but will speak tender words, and words of love and affection and kindness. Just come at once. He is a faithful friend – a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” ~Dwight L. Moody
My friend, we serve a God who is full of mercy, compassion, and love. He will never give up on us. He is such a good, good Father, patiently waiting for us to come to Him in order to receive His love and compassion. Remember, God loves each of us with an everlasting love, and His mercies never end.
“His is a loving, tender hand, full of sympathy and compassion.” ~Dwight L. Moody
My Prayer:
Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, thank you for your compassion and love. Without them, I do not even know where I would be today. You are the Loving Father, who has waited for me as long as it took. Thank you. Thank you for caring so much for me. Thank you for never giving up on me. I am so grateful for your compassion and love. You are so good to me.
Growing with God 