Sun.’s Devo - Put on Strength

Read: Isaiah 51:1-53:12; Ephesians 5:1-33; Psalm 69:19-36; Proverbs 24:7

God called the righteous to remember their beginnings as a nation. They came from the loins of Abraham who was called out of paganism to follow God. God will turn around their circumstances and make their wilderness like the Garden of Eden. God will set up his justice on the earth and he will judge the people. Disasters will happen in the earth but God’s salvation is there forever. 

God calls to the righteous to not be afraid of the threats of evil people. He tells his people to put on strength and wake up. Remember what God has done in the past when he dried up the Red Sea and delivered them from Egypt. His people will return to him with joy and singing. Sorrow and worry will be gone. God will comfort his people. He calls them to remember that he made the heavens and the earth. They should not fear what man does or says he will do. God is their Father.

They had drunk from God’s wrath and destruction. They saw much death and devastation, but that time is over. The time of being controlled and slaves is over. Isaiah called them to be strong and rise up and loose the bonds of slavery off of them. 

It is now the time for good news of peace, happiness and salvation. God calls them out of Babylon and he will go before them. The mouth of kings will be shut when they see what God does for his people. Isaiah then gives the best description of their Savior.

He will be someone who grows up among them who is not noticeably noble. He will be despised and rejected by people. They will not recognize him as their Messiah. He will bear all our grief and sorrow and will die for our sins. His wounds and pain will bring us peace and healing. 

He will take his suffering quietly and willingly. He will be judged in our place and die young. He will be placed in a rich man’s tomb and be called a wicked man. But it is God’s will to crush him and put all this on him. He is our guilt offering, our sin offering and our peace offering to God. God will accept his offering and it will make us righteous. 

Paul tells us in Ephesians to imitate God and walk in love. We are not to be sinning like the heathen do. God will punish the disobedient. We were called out of darkness so we are to have nothing to do with those who walk in sin. We are called  children of light and are to do what pleases the Lord. We are to walk in wisdom and the will of the Lord, singing and giving thanks always. Christ is now our husband and we are to practice loving him by loving our natural husband. 

Lord, you are doing extraordinary things in the earth. We trust you and look to you as the author and finisher of our faith.