Are you a runner, a despiser of truths? Do you ignore the counsel of the Lord when it’s given? Do you seek your own way out? Learning to lean on others rather than trusting in the Lord? Have you grown calloused to the Word and His Church?Have you developed itching ears? Walked away from the safety of His protection? Israel was guilty of all those things, yet the Lord who never changes or breaks a covenant promise spoke these words to them, and to you today.
“For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not, Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.”
Isaiah 30:15, 18 NKJV
Israel had literally asked that the teachers and prophets cease teaching them the Word of the Lord. They wanted everything done on their terms. The very land and people that had enslaved their ancestors, were the ones to whom they were fleeing to for help. Read the entire chapter. What makes us turn from the Lord? What makes us forget His goodness towards us? Whenever we isolate ourselves from the accountability of godly people, we become self preservationist and begin aligning ourselves with those who will approve and support our wrong choices. Still He waits to be gracious to us.
I hear the lyrics to an old song. “What kind of God would do this for me?” Answer: The One who remains faithful even when we’re not. He never changes. He knows that our rebellion will lead to destruction so He admonishes us to return. There is no help like His help. And even when we spurn His help, He waits to be gracious to us. Again I ask. “What kind of God would do this for me?” Answer: The One who is longsuffering. One whose love has no limits. One who was spat on yet asked that we be forgiven. Such mercy! Such grace!
Our rebellion deserves His wrath and justice. Still He waits to be gracious to us. He’s the One who died for us while we were yet sinners. He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry, continues Isaiah. He writes, when He hears your cry, He will answer you. “What kind of God would do this for me? The God who is slow to anger and full of compassion. Return from your Egypt, your place of false security and hope. Return to the One who waits to be very gracious to you. This is what awaits you/us.
“Then He will give the rain for your seed With which you sow the ground, And bread of the increase of the earth; It will be fat and plentiful.”
Isaiah 30:23 NKJV
When the prodigal left home he wasted everything, but when he came home he regained everything. The supply of home is never depleted. God is our El Shaddai. He’s more than enough. Our sin and lawlessness is remembered no more. Read verse 15 again. In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence (not in Egypt) shall be your strength. ( Emphasis mine). You may not have valued His help then. But you will upon your return. He waits to be very gracious to you. What kind of God would do this for me? The One who promises that He’d never leave us or forsake us? The One who promise to that our ears would hear a Word behind us saying; “this is the way, walk in it!” when we’re unsure about the way to take. He’s unstoppable and unchangeable. He waits to be gracious to us.
What a God! We may change but He will not! He gives us what we don’t deserve. As fickle and ungrateful as we sometimes are, He holds no grudges, but patiently awaits our return. May we recall to our minds all the ways He’s been good to us. Don’t keep Him waiting another moment. Nothing we could ever desire can compare with Him. Even when we suffer the consequences for our rebellion His graciousness shines through. I’ll close with another verse from this chapter.
“And though the Lord gives you The bread of adversity and the water of affliction, Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, But your eyes shall see your teachers.”
Isaiah 30:20 NKJV
The teachers that they once wanted gone would return to instruct them once again. They would be open to the Truth, the graciousness of the Lord had won over rebellion. He draws us with His goodness. What kind of God would do this for me?
The God who forgets and forgives. The God who waits to be gracious to us.
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
December 22, 2021
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