Published 6/5/19
Read Isaiah 30:19-21
For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
Reflect
• Do you believe this verse from Isaiah 30:18: "The Lord God is waiting to show how kind he is"?
• Do you believe that God blesses those who trust Him?
• What must you do to have a stronger relationship with God?
God's people aren't acting very godly. In fact, they're blatantly disobedient. "This is the LORD's message for his rebellious people," Isaiah writes in verse 30:1. " 'You follow your own plans instead of mine; you make treaties without asking me, and you keep on sinning.' "
Rebellious, deceitful, unwilling to listen to God's instructions. Sound familiar? Spiritually, we're not all that different from the men and women in Isaiah's time. Way too many of us look to human wisdom for answers to life's problems, turning our backs on God. Even our attitudes often mirror the demands of those stubborn Israelites: "Don't tell us what God has shown you and don't preach the truth. Just say what we want to hear, even if it's false. Stop telling us what God has said! We don't want to hear any more about the holy God of Israel" (verses 10-11).
You'd think we'd clue in: Human wisdom doesn't have much of a track record. But as we continue reading chapter 30, we discover that God never gives up on us. As our Heavenly Father, He holds us tightly, reminding us how much He loves us. Instead of losing patience and throwing up His hands, He pours out His grace. "The Lord God is waiting to show how kind he is and to have pity on you. The Lord always does right; he blesses those who trust him" (verse 18).
Pray
Gracious Lord, thank you for your astounding patience--especially when I am disobedient. In my human nature, I sometimes behave impatiently and try to take matters in my own hands. Help me to wait on you--to trust your timing and your perfect plan. In Jesus Name, Amen.