Begin with 2 minutes of stillness and silence before God.

I love the declaration in today's passage of who God is! Everlasting God, Creator, powerful, unlimited in His wisdom and understanding, He is the Giver of good gifts. We could stop right there, but instead, I want to rewind a little and look in the previous verse, where Isaiah asked another question. 

27 "Jacob, why do you say, and Israel, why do you assert, 'My way is hidden from the Lord, and my claim is ignored by my God'? 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never becomes faint or weary; there is no limit to his understanding." Isaiah 40:27-28

Isaiah is declaring the power and wisdom and eternal attributes of God! There was a reason God told Isaiah to share this message with His people. The Book of Isaiah is an Old Testament scripture that emphasizes the sin of the Israelites, calls God's people to repentance, and warns of His judgment. It also delivers comfort and hope of restoration to God's imperfect people in this chapter. And God's people were going to desperately need His comfort. The Lord knew that Israel, His people, would feel abandoned in the dark times they would eventually face, so God gave His people hope.

Isaiah 40:1-2 says, “'Comfort, comfort my people,' says your God. 'Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and announce to her that her time of hard service is over, her iniquity has been pardoned, and she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.'” 

God gave them a message of hope, of restoration. He anticipated the questions of His people; He knew their needs. God directed Isaiah to give comfort and speak to the hearts of His people by reminding them of His character, His power, and His wisdom.

This message of hope is not exclusively for the Israelites. Throughout the Book of Isaiah, the scripture tells of a coming Savior, our Eternal Hope! Isaiah offers comfort to the Israelites, but God's comfort and hope are also for all sinners who accept His gift of rescue and eternal life through Jesus. His hope of restoration heals the broken and gives the dead new life!

Feel tired? Our God is everlasting! His strength endures forever!
Feel weak? Our God is powerful! He will renew.
Confused? There is no limit to His understanding! We can trust Him and His immeasurable wisdom with what we don't know.
Feel old and useless? Young and inexperienced? Our God is never limited by our abilities, age, or experience. Our strength only comes from the Lord, not our own might.
Need comfort and restoration? Lean in and trust a faithful God who offers everlasting comfort and the eternal hope of restoration to the weak and weary.

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• What do you need to trust God with today?
• Pray and ask God to give you strength when you feel weak, tired, or insecure.
• If you have questions about how to know, love, and follow Jesus, message us at www.venturechurch.org/contactus to start the conversation.