Comfort for God’s People

“Comfort ye, comfort ye my people saith your God.” –Isaiah 40:1

Please find a quiet place, a place where you meet God daily, still your mind and soul before Him, and, ask the Holy Spirit to be your teacher and guide. Please read all of Isaiah, Chapter 40. Between verse 1 and verse 31 which reads “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint” we find a veritable treasure of God speaking to us today from the ancient prophet Isaiah and the inspired Word of God. With inimitable poetry and deep thoughts Isaiah comforted.

A brief devotional cannot teach the significant truths of this chapter by the prophet Isaiah. But here is the situation: Isaiah is divided into two major divisions. Chapters 1-39 were historically set in the 8th century BC and chapters 40-66 were set two centuries later in the 6th century BC. Scholars still argue over whether the prophecy of Isaiah was written by “two Isaiah’s” two centuries apart, or whether one Isaiah who wrote in the inspiration of the Spirit could forthsee (fortell) what would be happening two hundred years later when the nation of Israel would be living as exiles in Babylon (the setting for chapters 40-66). He even forsaw one “crying in the wilderness,” a prediction of the ministry of John the Baptist before Christ began his public ministry (v. 3)!

I awoke this morning with Isaiah 40:1 going through my mind. I prepared for my devotional, and after praying for guidance from the Holy Spirit, I was blessed first by reading this amazing “comfort” chapter in the beautiful, majestic King James Version. My old dog-eared Bible has so many verses in this chapter underlined with notes in the margins. Then I read it from the New Century Version, and third from the New International Version (with comments in The Disciples’ Study Bible). Time precludes my telling the blessing this quiet and absorbing reading has been. And as I finished, my dear friend and pastor of senior adults/music at FBC McCaysville, Rev. Harry Gilbert, called to encourage me and to pray with me by telephone.
Talk about “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people!” How ministers and Christian friends are finding me at the point of my need and following God’s command to comfort! To God be the glory! And now, Lord, as I go out today, help me to comfort others in Jesus’ name. Amen.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Mount Up with Wings as Eagles

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” -Isaiah 40:31

The eagle is our American symbol, a bird of strength, majesty and power.

We don’t see eagles frequently any more. I remember once in our travels, Grover and I were in a national park where eagles were in abundance. We were awed as we watched them soar from tree to tree and glide effortlessly through the air. What a picture of power, beauty and symmetry. Isaiah used the eagle as a symbol of the strength those who wait upon the Lord receive from Him. What we need to run the race of life will be given to us, and we shall not grow weary. When we slow our pace from running to walking, we shall not faint because the Lord will supply our needed strength. If we have not already, we should memorize this verse and make it one of our “life verses,” one we can return to again and again in our minds as a prayer, a reminder of the Lord’s presence and provision, and even more, a prodding that we must be patient and “wait upon the Lord.”

On this January 23, I am waiting to hear that my great grandson Jake has safely arrived. I thought he would come yesterday, but Elizabeth, after all, did not enter the hospital until today. And I’m still waiting to hear news of his safe arrival. Many prayers have gone up for my granddaughter and her little baby son—not only in the birthing process, a miracle within itself, but for God’s help in rearing him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

I had a good visit with Grover today. A week and a half ago, he was very low and we thought his time had perhaps come. Since then, he has rallied and is now better. Today we “talked” much—he with his syllables and babble, characteristic of last-stage Alzheimer’s,--and I trying to interpret what he might be saying and talking to him of many things. He reached for my hand. He smiled. I treasure every minute we can visit with some degree of sharing the love that has grown for over 60 years. In all practicality, I know that each visit just might be the last. And if it is, that will be according to God’s will, and I accept that. We’ve had a wonderful life together, more so than I ever anticipated when we started out!

My friend Aurelia is in the hospital quite sick. I have prayed much for her today that God will grant healing, as well as diagnosis of just what the problem is. My cousin Cat is also ill and needs reassurance from the Lord that He is indeed with her to help her through present troubles. And for two friends who are battling leukemia, James and June, I pray that treatment and procedures will work in their favor. Last night the telethon for relief of victims of the earthquake in Haiti saw many giving for medical and other needed supplies. How I pray for those suffering, and for those who seek to give relief. We are hard-pressed to know why disasters like this occur. And then we remember that God’s Word tells us that in the latter days we will experience great calamities such as floods and earthquakes. “Watch, therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” (Matthew 24:42).

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Saturday, January 23, 2010