Verse of the Day 1/30

Verse of the Day 1/30

Isaiah 57:18-19 Even though I've seen their ways, I will heal them.

    I will guide them forward and repay them with comfort,
    giving mourners the language of praise.
¹⁹ I offer peace to those who are far from me,
    and I offer peace to those who are near,
    and I will heal their deepest wounds," says Yahweh.   The Passion Translation (TPT)

Yesterday we considered how Satan had asked to "sift all of us as wheat", putting us through the sifter or grinder and how that process may cause us to backslide and turn away from God.  But the important thing for us to remember for ourselves or perhaps a wayward child, grandchild or loved one, is that it is God who brings them back, leads them back. Our prayers and actions can be the agents for that return but it is still God that is doing the work.

Reading today's verse in The Passion Translation really hits home.  God sees all that is done, He sees rebellion, He sees our turning from Him but in His grace and mercy He sees beyond that and promises healing.  He doesn't stop there He also provides the way forward and comfort.  The Apostle Paul could relate to this and wrote about it in Romans 5 realizing that "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us".

John Piper writes:

"So, in the face of recalcitrant, grace-resisting backsliding, God says, "I will heal him." He will "restore." The word for "restore" is to "make whole or complete." It is related to the word shalom, "peace." That wholeness and peace is mentioned in the next verse which explains how God turns around a grace-resisting backslider.    He does it by "'creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace (shalom, shalom), to the far and to the near,' says the Lord, 'and I will heal him'" (Isaiah 57:19). God creates what is not there — peace, wholeness. This is how we are saved. And this is how we are brought back from backsliding — again and again.    The grace of God triumphs over our resistance by creating praise where it did not exist. He brings shalom, shalom to the near and the far. Wholeness, wholeness to the near and the far. He does it by "restoring," that is, replacing the disease of resistance with the soundness of submission.    The point of irresistible grace is not that we can't resist. We can, and we do. The point is that when God chooses, he overcomes our resistance and restores a submissive spirit. He creates. He says, "Let there be light!" He heals. He leads. He restores. He comforts.    Therefore, we never boast that we have returned from backsliding. We fall on our faces before the Lord and with trembling joy thank him for his irresistible grace that conquered all our resistance."

Have you been "resisting" God's call?  Listen to Him, He may be calling you now.  Do you know someone else who has been resisting His call?  Pray for them, pray also.  You may be the agent that God uses to bring them back to Him.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Isaiah 57:14-21 The Passion Translation (TPT)

A Promise of Revival and Healing

¹⁴ Yahweh says, "Let the people return to me.
    Build! Build up the road, clear the way, and get it ready!
    Remove every obstacle from their path."
¹⁵ For this is what the high and majestic one says,
    the one who fills the eternal realm with glory,^[a]
    whose name is Holy:
    "I dwell in high and holy places
    but also with the bruised and lowly in spirit,
    those who are humble and quick to repent.
    I dwell with them to revive the spirit of the humble,
    to revive the heart of those who are broken over their sin.
¹⁶ You will not find me continually accusing them^[b]
    or holding anger against them,
    lest they feel defeated and lose heart before me.
    For I am the One who gave the breath of life to my people.
¹⁷ It was their sin and greed that made me angry,
    so I struck them and hid my face from them.
    But they continued in rebellion, following their own desires.
¹⁸ Even though I've seen their ways, I will heal them.^[c]
    I will guide them forward and repay them with comfort,^[d]
    giving mourners the language of praise.
¹⁹ I offer peace to those who are far from me,
    and I offer peace to those who are near,^[e]
    and I will heal their deepest wounds," says Yahweh.
²⁰ "But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea,
    whose restless waves are never still,
    stirring up mud and mire.
²¹ There is no peace^[f] for the wicked," says my God.