Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.
Isaiah 51:5 (NIV)
“My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm.”
Isaiah 51:5 (MSG)
“My deliverance arrives on the run, my salvation right on time. I’ll bring justice to the peoples. Even faraway islands will look to me and take hope in my saving power.”
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“My righteousness (justice) is near, My salvation has gone forth, and My arms will judge the peoples; the islands and coastlands will wait for Me, and they will wait with hope and confident expectation for My arm.” -AMPLIFIED
“God is never late and rarely early. He is always exactly right on time–His time.” ~Dillon Burroughs
Yesterday’s text reminded us that God sent His Son, Jesus, to be the Light to all nations. And His Light will bring justice. Isaiah records for us this Message from God:
“Listen to me, my people; pay attention to me, my nation. For I release my teaching to the nations, and I will cause the light of justice to rest on them.” -Isaiah 51:4 (The Passion Translation)
In today’s passage, this Message from God continues:
“My justice is coming closer. My rescue is on the way. My strong arm will extend justice to the nations. Distant shores are looking to Me with hope that I will accomplish it.” -(VOICE)
God says to Israel:
“My deliverance is near, nearer than you think. I will make my victory come to pass quickly, for my righteous and salvation are near. My arms will judge the people. My arms will rule over the nations. The coastlands, and the islands have waited long for my intervention, they have been waiting and looking for Me expectantly.”
Remember what God had told the people of Israel in verse 1:
“Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek Jehovah: look unto the rock [whence] ye were hewn, and to the hole of the pit [whence] ye were digged.” -DARBY
They had been waiting for their deliverance, but they had gotten to the point where they were ready to give up all hope. God gives them a good pep talk, reminding them that He is with them, and He will bring His justice. They needed to keep trusting Him, even though they could not see the answer yet.
“My mercy and justice are coming soon; your salvation is on the way. I will rule the nations; they shall wait for me and long for me to come.” -(TLB)
“With God, there’s always an appointed time for things, and when you put Him first, trust in His timing, and keep the faith, miracles happen!” ~Germany Kent
I remind you of something that we really need to keep in mind, always. God’s way of doing things is not necessarily our way of doing things. Isaiah reminds us of this fact further along in the book, recording this Message from God:
Eternal One: “My intentions are not always yours, and I do not go about things as you do.
My thoughts and My ways are above and beyond you, just as heaven is far from your reach here on earth.
For as rain and snow can’t go back once they’ve fallen, but soak into the ground
And nourish the plants that grow, providing seed to the farmer and bread for the hungry,
so it is when I declare something. My word will go out and not return to Me empty,
But it will do what I wanted; it will accomplish what I determined.” -Isaiah 55:8-11 (VOICE)
Israel thought God had forgotten them, but He had not. Once again, we can turn to the book of Isaiah, and find this Message from God, to the people of Israel. A Message that advises them that God never abandoned them, they chose to walk away from Him. God said to Israel:
Eternal One: “I was ready and willing to help before anyone even asked.
I was found by people who did not seek Me; I showed My face and said, “Here I am! I am right here!”
to a nation which did not call on Me. I kept extending Myself to a people who don’t care a whit.
All day long I opened my hands to those who constantly work against Me, those busy pursuing their own rotten path, inspired by their own rotten schemes. These people continue to insult Me, right to My face, pursuing other gods, sacrificing in gardens and offering incense on altars made of bricks.” -Isaiah 65:1-3 (VOICE)
Paul, speaking to the Athenians, had this to say about God:
“This God made us in all our diversity from one original person, allowing each culture to have its own time to develop, giving each its own place to live and thrive in its distinct ways. His purpose in all this was that people of every culture and religion would search for this ultimate God, grope for Him in the darkness, as it were, hoping to find Him. Yet, in truth, God is not far from any of us.” -Acts 17:26-27 (VOICE)
“Don’t lose hope. Don’t give up. Don’t be discouraged. Keep believing and wait patiently for the fulfillment of all the promises of God in your life, He is never late and He never delays, He’s always on time.” ~Abraham David
My friend, God is not far off. He has not forgotten you or me. In fact, He has already prepared the answer to our prayer. He is never too late, and He is never early, but His answer comes always at just the right on time. His deliverance for us is near. Do not give up hope, but patiently wait in expectation, for our redemption draws near!
“God’s never early, never late, but always on time. Our timing isn’t God’s timing. For us, God’s timing often feels like a long, desperate delay. God’s perfect timing does two things: It grows our faith as we are forced to wait and trust in God and it makes certain that He, and He alone, gets the glory and praise for pulling us through.” ~Bill Thomas
My Prayer:
Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, thank you for always being present and available for me. I ask that you forgive me for ever doubting you. For you are Emmanuel, God with us. You are the God who will deliver and save at just the right time. You are never too early, and you are never late. Please, remind me, when the going gets tough, that you are doing things for a reason and your ways are not necessarily my ways. Your ways are greater, higher, better than mine could ever be. Help me to trust you in the process, Lord. Thank you.
Growing with God 