Quick Sip

Have you noticed that when God encourages His people he often reminds them of who He is? Take for instance Isaiah 43. He begins by saying, “But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel. Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”

Here He uses several phrases to remind us who He is and what he is doing:

• the LORD- this usage is for the eternal God
• who created-to choose, to make
• who formed-to mold or fashion
• have redeemed-to ransom, to avenge, kinsman redeemer (like Ruth and Boaz)
• have called-to boldly call out when meeting someone

It interesting here that he never tells his people that things aren’t that bad or to look on the bright side. He almost always reminds them of who he is, what he has done in the past, and what he will do in the future. Then he tells them to look to him and trust.

Full Cup

“Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?…To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him?” says the Holy One, “Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because his is strong in power not one is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God’? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” ~ Isaiah 40:13-14, 25-31

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope. The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. ~ Lamentations 3:19-26