LOCKET VERSES            WEEK 48

DAY 330     Isaiah 17:6     Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two  or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel.

In this section of Isaiah, verse after verse marches on showing the desolation of nations. Israel is included, their glory humbled and made thin. Isaiah 17:4 The description paints a vivid picture. That which was a fruitful land would be laid waste. Yet God does not leave the illustration just for the land, but ties it to the personal self of human Israel when He expands the description: and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean. (Verse 4) What a vivid picture that paints for our lives, for often we feel the desolation sweeping over us, the picking clean of our own resources, the plucking off of our own hoped for increase, when the fatness of our lives waxes lean. And then the glorious hope of the first word of verse six comes into view: Yet. The harvestman will pluck all the ears of corn from the cultivated land, and Yet there will still be God’s remnant left! When the land lies thin and lean, there is still fruit to be found. When the human part of us seems to fail, when we have nothing of ourselves to trust, God can reap His harvest. In that great reassuring first chapter of II Corinthians, we are encouraged to remember the God of all comfort: Who comfortest us in all our tribulation...whether we be afflicted...pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life...(II Corinthians 1:3-9) It is that God who is there in and through our despair and desolation who has a "but yet" provision for us. For it is truly when we die to self that we can see the hand of "God the Raising One," which is the literal translation of the end of verse nine: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves. But in God which raiseth the dead. The small word "yet" speaks volumes to our minds. Yet says that hope is still left. In the midst of harvested vines there are gleaning grapes. There was a law in Israel that the poor of the land could enter the harvested fields and orchards to glean or gather what was left behind. In this way, many who would have been destitute were fed. That which had been left behind by the farmer and his servants, was found by diligent searching of the gleaners. Much of what was left had been viewed as too small or unprofitable by the farmer. Likewise, it is a reminder that what the human mind often misses or dismisses can still be profitable when God does the gleaning. The side note in my Bible says this verse speaks of the remnant, here of those in Israel, those called Jacob redeemed. In our lives it can speak of the remnant of hope left, hope redeemed by our God. Where are the gleaned found? They are grapes hidden among the leaves, deep on the stems, olives, just four or five in the top of the uppermost bough. They were those fruits beyond reach, humanly speaking, neglected, ignored, overlooked or not "worth the time." It was as if they had been hidden out of view, in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, for the time of gleaning. They were actually that of immense value, reminding us that what is gleaned by the hand of God is always profitable, whether it be people, areas of our own lives or the remnant of Israel. Hope and promise can be assured, saith the LORD God of Israel. Verse seven says At that day, the day of gleaning, those gleaned will look to [their] Maker with respect. Because the eyes of God had not overlooked the gleanings, there would be those of the remnant who had been carefully lifted from off the desolated vines, who would "look" in trusting faith upon their God as the Holy One of Israel, the One who was completely faithful and full of committed promise. Those men would not look to the altars, the work of [their] hands...verse 8, but to the One who had made them. All that man tried on his own would fail, even his strong cities be as a forsaken bough..verse 9 Yet there would still be the uppermost branch (verse 9) which was left for God’s harvest, to fulfill God’s purpose and design. When Jesus said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee..(Hebrews 13:5), He meant just that. When all around us is as desolation, yet in Christ there is still a time of plenty. When the enemy seems to have come in and stripped bare all our own fruitful plans, hidden in Christ are still all the resources we will ever need. When the enemy of our souls thinks he has picked our harvest field completely bare, thinking he has taken every morsel, yet still, with the eyes of faith and hope, we can discover that which God has carefully left for our gleaning. There is always hope left because of the faithfulness of the Lord our Hope. Verses ten through eleven show that the things which we "plant on our own" called strange slips, thy [own] plants, will never reap a blessed harvest but only a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow. The gleaning by God of the few "hidden" grapes and berries will always be more blessed than the multiplied "heap" of ungodly, self propagated endeavors. We need to take our eyes off of the ideals and pursuits of the fields of the world and start searching and seeking the beautiful fruit of God. It may be hidden among the uppermost leaves and branches, take hard work and much "climbing" on godly ladders to reach, but His harvest supply is always there, just out of fleshly reach, reserved for those that are living on a higher plane. In that day of gleaning, nothing of our own making will matter, but that which God has built in our lives will stand. We need to turn our eyes from the altars...groves...and cities we build in our lives, the pursuits and things of our flesh, and look for the true altars and places that God is building. We will only glean these things when we look to our God. Lord, turn my eyes upon You. "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."

The words of this verse should sound as trumpets of honor to our Lord. The title of this song of praise could be "Our Commitment." These words penned by Isaiah should be oft repeated from our own lips in praise and adoration to our God. O LORD, His name is the first note of the song, demonstrating the priority of our Lord as the object of praise. Shown as the genuine cry of the believer’s heart, that emphasis is seen in the capitalized LORD! It is followed by the phrase: thou art my God. Four little words leaving no question, the relationship being voiced is one of total commitment and confidence. Thou, Lord, Thou personally and exclusively, art my God. The word art, even though in italics in our Bibles, still demonstrates that presently and continually the Lord is our God. The pronoun my shows the personal depth of the pledge. It is not "the" God being song about, or culturally "a" god, but it is "my" God, the One I know, the One I possess in my inner being. Just six words of introduction, but they speak volumes. The LORD, He is my God. The sovereign ruler of my life is the God of all creation. He is my ruler, I am pledging not to be ruled by self or anything else but the LORD. As a consequence of this pledge, I give my life to Him in true commitment of purpose. As we read the verse, we can feel the intensity and commitment of Isaiah, and the question should arise within our minds, is this commitment true in my life? If it is, then the same outgrowth of exaltation and praise should be natural and evident. This verse holds many jewels of word meanings that emphasize with clarity the depth of commitment being voiced.

1) I will exalt thee - I will lift up on high and extol my God.

2) I will praise thy name - The word praise not only carries with it the connotation of thanksgiving but of confessing the name of God before others. The word for name here is different from the ordinary word for "name." Here it is in reference to one of definite and conspicuous position, used for The Name (capital N) of God.

In the middle of the verse, we find the answer to the unvoiced question: "Why should I praise this God?" "Why" is a question a child asks, but we ask it also, and the answer is the same: "Because." Because, God hast done wonderful things, marvelous deeds that are a wonder to all who observe them. Because, His counsels of old, His decisions and judgments in eternity, are faithfulness and truth. The unique quality of His counsels are described as faithfulness: the idea of firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, stability. When all around fails, our faithful God remains. They are also spoken of as truth. This is the only time this specific word for truth is used in the Bible. A word from the Hebrew ‘omen, it is akin to the concept of faithfulness from a root for "believe, assurance, sure, trust, established, and stand fast." The last meaning helps us to understand the commitment idiom in English where we are exhorted to "be true" to a cause or person. Our God is true, His Word and counsels are true. Therefore, I can trust Him. As often seen in Scripture, the logic of our verse makes a circle. He is worthy of praise, therefore, He is my God, therefore, I will exalt and praise Him. We can think of many of these continuous circles in our lives. Because God is my Savior, He gave me new life, the events of which cause me to know that He is my Savior! Because I trusted Him with an important decision in my life, He confirmed it by the outworking of the events related to the decision, which caused me to trust Him more! The circles all come back to Him! Our prayer should be that all the circles of our life will always find their circumference in Christ. Chapter 25 continues on the same note as the ending chorus of Chapter 24, where the God who was and is eternally the ruler of all, demonstrates His victorious redeeming and renewing power. In both chapters, this confirmation of God’s sovereignty causes His people to proclaim His rulership. When all the events of sin’s battle against the Almighty God are brought down, then God’s reign shall be seen before all his ancients gloriously. (Isaiah 24:23) This is the only time this specific Hebrew word gloriously is used in the Bible. The two other times the English word "gloriously" is used are both in the book of Exodus: Then sang Moses....saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously..." Exodus 15:1 and ...Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously... Exodus 15:21 These usages of gloriously signify being exalted because of a triumph. But the word in Isaiah carries with it the connotations of glory, honor, splendor, dignity, reputation, and abundance. That which the children of Israel had to see in action by the triumph at the Red Sea, can be understood with deep commitment by those of us who see, with eyes of faith, the "invisible things" of God’s workings. We honor Him with reverence, dignity and the abundance of our praise because of Who He is! In like manner, God should be glorified in our midst "gloriously." Isaiah 25:3 has all this meaning plus the concept of promoting the honor of God before others: Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee... Today, praise His name for truly He has done wonderful things. His counsels toward us are faithful and true. Let us, with the ancients, even now in these "modern times," esteem God gloriously. Be strong in commitment to our God that others might see that we glorify Him in our lives and with our lips!

The great resounding praise chorus is being sung to God, who has delivered His people and done wonderful things. (Isaiah 25:1) Our verse for today is a listing of the reasons for this praise found in God’s personal dealings. Isaiah declares that God is worthy of this glorious praise For (because) thou hast been a strength to the poor. God Himself is shown as the strength, place of safety, protection and refuge. He is even a virtual physical stronghold, which is translated in other places as fortress or rock. To those who were needy and weak, He became their strength. Paul echoed this wondrous exchange of our weakness for God’s strength in II Corinthians 12:9,10: And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness, Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake, for when I am weak, then am I strong. The poor in our verse include those who are poor in spirit, and even in their own estimation of personal riches. Before salvation, we were all in poverty of spirit. No matter how attractive we thought our garments of righteousness, they were all as beggar’s rags. Yet, Christ became our riches, providing us with His own garments of true righteousness. Where we were weak and unable to provide for ourselves, He became our strong Rock of defense, providing the supply of Himself. This declaration is not only to the illusion of spiritual poverty but also to the physically poor. Instead of being in bitterness and despair, those that trust in the wealth of their God can know the riches of His grace. What a difference faith in God makes in people. Two people can be in the same circumstance, yet demonstrate completely opposing reactions. In their poverty, some become angry or sullen, yet others find quiet strength and courage. The difference is in their basis for help and point of focus, whether in themselves and the situation, or in the mighty hand of God. God is also seen as a strength to the needy in his distress. To those who are in want as poor beggars, needing help and deliverance from trouble, who are surrounded by adversaries and oppressors, God can be their deliverer and refuge. The word his makes this distress personal. No matter if the distress is an actual oppressor or comes from our own needy perspective, it is no less real or in need of God’s help. The scriptural mention of these two situations of poverty and need in the believer’s life, points up the false hope of those who say Christians are never to be distressed or burdened. This verse declares God’s promises to be a strength to those who are. Life is a reality, God does not expect or desire that we wear "rose colored" glasses. Our needs are real, our distresses may be great, but the true reality and strength is not in denial, avoidance or "hype," but in the very present help and strength that only comes from trust in the LORD. He is our refuge from the storm, a shelter and hope from the overflowing tempests of life. He is a shadow from the heat, a defense and shade from the parching drought and dryness of our soul’s desolation. How like the references in Psalms these two descriptions are. Our God is truly a shelter from trial and the empty wastelands of sin. This is especially true when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. The word blast is certainly a strong word! Used here as a mighty wind, it is the same as the word used for Spirit or spirits and is never referred to as a depersonalized force. When the storms from our enemy Satan, that terrible one, and his conspirators come upon us as a mighty blast, God is our refuge and help. What a strong illusionary picture of the constant beating of a storm against a wall, continuously beating upon it with great force. What is the wall? Could it be the walls we put up to defend ourselves, or the wall of the "end of our own endurance," or walls that others would build? Or is it the wall that God has placed to hedge up His place of safety from the storm? Whatever it is in our life, with God there is shelter on the other side. As the blast of wind pounds against the one side of the wall, on the other side there is a calm. We learned the validity of this fact when we lived in the High Sierras. Storms would usually come in from the ocean side of the range. The wind blew in the storm with a blast. The full force of the storm was always spent on the sea ward side, while the inland slopes, over the crest, would have the gentle wash of the spent storm. Our town was laid out from the high point of a mountain pass through a valley and down a gentle slope. While the summit was known for its fierce storms, the farthest side of town was called the "banana belt" because of the milder nature of weather there. The difference was only in a few miles of driving. When the storms of life beat upon us and the blast of Satan is fierce, we need to come over the summit, climb over the crest, and go through the gate in the wall where we can enter into the peaceful rest of our Lord. There we will be out of the direct blast of the storm, gently washed in the strength of His love. It is the wall, that one which only can stand against the storm of the evil one. Now living in a milder climate, we were surprised when a windy rain storm blew down our fences of wood in the back yard. They were old, the wood was rotten, so the blast of the storm found a weak target, one without defense or strength. The gradual rains of years of neglect had eaten away the timbers. The strong rock walls in other yards stood straight and tall in the same storm. What a lesson to our lives. If they are not founded on the Rock, Christ, all our building of fences of timber, though attractive to some, will never withstand the blasts of Satan. He may silently and stealthily plant decay and weakness in our lives when we neglect to constantly keep our walls repaired and strong. Then one day, with one great storm, our fences will fall. But if we have climbed over the wall, into the safety of God’s mountain pasture, we will find a rest from the storm. Verses six and seven of this chapter of Isaiah, constantly show a picture of this mountain. Stop and read these verses showing the beautiful picture of spiritual feeding and of the openness shown in the removing of the covering, or web that was woven by the world on the other side. We are seen standing face to face with our God upon the mountain. What a contrast between the other side of the wall and the side described as "this mountain." From the wall of resistance and of buffeting, the place of no escape, we come to the mountain of hope, the pinnacle of strength. It is the summit that passes us over into a higher plane of living, a "different" level of existence. Instead of having our backs against the wall, in the full blast of attack, we are over on the other side. It is the picture of a battle situation. It is like the soldier in the battle zone, being pursued and jumping over the wall into the safety zone, the defended area. Our safety zone is found in this mountain of the LORD Himself. It is the mountain that He asks us to climb up with hind’s feet. Out of the fog and shadows of the valley land, into the glorious shining of the summit of His dwelling place. Climb up that mountain today and stand basking in the gentle breezes of His loving protection.

The litany of victory continues in Chapter 25 of Isaiah. The greatest triumph of all, the victory over death is announced! That which was the pronounced sentence upon sin, that which has held sway over mankind since the Garden of Eden, that which instills fear in the unbeliever and for which man has no permanent solution, is swallowed up in victory by the only One who has the power over life and death. It is He, God alone, who has the authority over that dark presence called death. Throughout time, man has tried to circumvent death. For some this was found in trying to appease idols, for others it meant cowardly acts of fleeing situations that could mean physical death, for others costly medical experiments, but in the end death always triumphed. Now the victory and the Victor is declared. It is God, our Captain, the possessor and originator of life who brings victory over the foreign enemy of our souls. The Creator who dwells in everlasting and eternal life, had no less of a design of glorious life for His creatures. Sin broke the covenant with life, and the Lifegiver breaks the covenant with death for us, His own. What a dramatic term is used to describe this victory, swallow. We do this action hundreds of times a day, it is part of our being. God, as the natural outworking of His Being, swallows death. The Hebrew word for "swallow up" means also to devour, cover, eat up and engulf. It is used here in the intensive form which means to purposely swallow up completely. It is as the action of a mighty ocean wave, engulfing all before it and completely destroying, submerging and overpowering the object in its wake. Our God has all power to destroy death, ...then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. I Corinthians 15:54 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. II Timothy 1:10 The great victory will be won. The assurance is sure, as our God is sure. He has made His pledge: I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction... Hosea 13:14 The victory will be His and ours in Him. What a glorious truth, our death is swallowed up in victory because we belong to Him. The assurance to our souls in grief and in torment of death is beyond words to tell. Indeed the victory is not only to the Conqueror, God, but personally it is our own. He has covered that which was covering His people before: And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people... Isaiah 25:7 Our verse for the day continues with a touching picture as the Lord GOD [Himself] will wipe away tears from off all faces. How very personal and very like a gentle Father this action is. He does not send the angels or others to do what He alone can do. As the wounded and grieved of His people stand before Him, the Lord God gently reaches out His embrace of love and wipes away all the tears from all the faces of all His people. What a gracious and mighty picture this brings to our minds of scenes in Heavenly glory. It is interesting to note the unusual notation of God’s name in this verse. At this juncture it is noted as the Lord GOD. The normal use of the capitals is for the word LORD. Here the word Lord is the emphatic title of God, used in the English in place of Yahweh or Adonai. He is the loving Creator. GOD is used in an interesting form of Jehovah, the Existing One, but pointed with the vowel of Elohim, the powerful Ruler of all. The significance of this use of a double name, with GOD the capitalized name, is challenging to our souls and comfort to our spirits. Our Lifegiver is the One who everliveth and with the power of His Might conquers our greatest enemy, death. In the same action, the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth. The scorn and reproach is removed from those who are the Lord’s possession. What comfort and assurance this spoke to the remnant of Israel and to us today who are often despised for our faith in God. This consolation will take place, for the LORD hath spoke it. God said it, therefore, it is assured in the Heavens. The resounding power of His voice, ringing out through Heaven’s halls, reaching through the starry galaxies, offers and affirms His promises. He speaks to our hearts, "Never fear little child, thy God is there, firm in His resolve, strong in His commitment, embracing us with His love!" Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now we see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: I Peter 1:8 As we go from our verse today, let us think of the tears in our own lives. What is that which is bringing grief to you, dear friend? Presently our Lord GOD can wipe them away. Come to Him like a little child runs to the arms of his parent to cry on his shoulder. After the sobbing is ceased, the loving parent softly holds then pulls the child gently away, facing him, peering lovingly into his eyes and strengthening his spirit with compassionate counsel of words. Then with loving hands, the parent wipes away the tears, releasing the child to start on life’s journey again. What are those things causing you "tears" today? Come to the Lord God, let Him strengthen you. Then there is the matter of death, not only physical and spiritual but also presently, the needed death to things in our life that need to be swallowed up in victory by the Lord GOD. We need to examine today whether we need this action for death to self, death to worldly temptations, fleshly "visions," or death to things that could destroy us. Come to the Lord GOD today as to the only One who can triumph over these things and with His help you can find the victory!

The scene of our verse is an assured happening of the future in which the redeemed of the Lord shall surely say these words of praise. As those that wait upon the Lord, we can envision ourselves in the midst of that great congregation, raising our voices in commitment and adoration to our Savior, Who is indeed our salvation. The challenge speaks to our hearts not to wait until a future time to declare these words, but to echo them forth from our lips even this day. The last four verses of Chapter 25 of Isaiah are filled with the word of promise: shall. This saying shall be said, the hand of the Lord shall rest upon us, God shall spread forth his hands in judgment, victory shall be His. After the turmoil and desolation of trials mentioned before this verse, the Great God, our Victor, will save His people: For in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest. (Verse 10) The promise is sure, the deliverance is a fact of eternal pledge. In the mountain of the Lord, rest from the wars of life will be found for those who have claimed the Lord as our God. What we could not scale or conquer on our own, shall He bring down, [and] lay low. That which stood as high fortresses of opposition, the walls thereof shall be brought to the ground, even to the dust. (Verse 12) This is a scene of total victory! That victory is promised, not only to those of Israel redeemed, but to us who share in God’s redemptive power. God has already spoken it but we will finally affirm in that day: Lo, this Victor, He is our personal God! We will know the fullness of this fact because we have waited for Him. Oh, the challenge to our hearts to ask ourselves the question: are we among those who are waiting for and on the Lord? In our every life situation and trial, do we have enough confidence of faith in the present and future working of our God to be "waiters" on Him? Is there any disbelief of heart that causes us to forge ahead and discount the patient working of our God? Lord, strengthen our ability to wait on You! For those who do, the promise is sure: and He will save us! The chorus is repeated for emphasis. Lo, this is our God....this is the LORD; we have waited for him.(twice repeated) The emphasis is akin to saying: because we have waited for Him, He has saved us from the great calamity that met others who did not wait. How often do Christians plunge headlong into trouble and reap the bitter reward of that action, instead of waiting on the Lord to have His way and dealings with us. In eternity future, will we be allowed to glimpse those things that could have been if we had waited, or to see the invisible dealings of our God made visible to our tear filled eyes? How often, when we feel devoid of help, do we pause to view with eyes of faith the assured presence of our God who worketh hitherto. (John 5:17) When we wait, the promise is sure, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation. With awe filled eyes, brimmed over with wonder at His wisdom and majesty, we will see that God’s ways were best for us. Our faithful confidence should be not only for what He has done for us in salvation but for what He will do for us in saving us each day. This present saving is not only the "keeping of our eternal salvation," but the present saving of our souls from distress, our spirits from defeat and our lives from overwhelming disasters. The redeemed seen in Isaiah 25:9, can be glad and rejoice because they waited on the LORD, the Redeeming One. Oh, LORD, our God, help us to daily enter into that great company of the trusting redeemed who can experience joy and gladness by confident waiting on You. Let us so mature in our faith that even if that which we fear the most occurs, we will remain steadfast in confidence in the working of our God. As we wait, let us praise You for that which You will do in our lives. Note that the time of this praise is in that day when we will say: Lo, this is our God. We should always be ready for "that day," any and every day, to say to all who would hear: "Look, see, experience, the Lord is our God, this is the One who saved us and can save you. Come, see, this is what He is like." It is like a child, who says to the visitor, "Come, see, this is my room...this is my mommy...this is my friend." He says this because of the sheer joy he has of sharing that which brings him comfort, pleasure and purpose. In our lives, to those we meet, let us say, "Come, see, this is my God." Let us invite them to enter in and experience Him who brings us comfort, pleasure, purpose and salvation. It reminds us of John and Andrew, who upon meeting Christ in John chapter One, call out to the Lord: "Let us see where you dwell." And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi...where dwellest thou? (John 1:37-38) To which Jesus says: Come and see. The invitation speaks to their heart need: "Come, see, and learn of me!" The more we learn of the Lord, the more we will know His character of faithfulness and learn to patiently wait on Him. What anticipation John and Andrew must have had for the next time they were to meet with their new found Friend. Think of the times of waiting for someone special in your life to come and, then the joy you felt when they arrived. I can picture my grand children, waiting for me at the airport. When I come through the gate, they jump into my arms. The oldest grandson, full of pride, will carry my bags. They all look for the "surprises" in my suitcase. We know we love each other, think of each other, but when we are together we can truly fellowship. They tell me of all their adventures and show me all their latest toys and possessions. We laugh and talk and hug, the moments are priceless. As part of the family of Christ, we are waiting for His arrival every day. We should be looking toward the "Eastern Gate" for Him to step out and gather us into His arms of love. Think of our godly pride when we walk at His side. Think of the rewards He will bring with Him. For countless eternity hours we will gather together and share the depth of our possessions in Christ. Beyond glory, beyond riches, our fellowship will be that which was bought with great price. But let us be reminded that we are not just to wait for a future fellowship with Christ. We need to prayerfully seek that present waiting on Him! With our eyes of faith turned inwardly to the riches of His dwelling presence, as all our longing souls seek for Him, He will come! If we wait on and for Him, we will have reasons for gladness and rejoicing. Dear Lord, help us to wait on You, not only for Your triumphal appearing, but even today for Your gentle presence of guidance and help. Hold back our impatient striving and let us find the victory and peace that comes from waiting on You. Lord, rest Your hand upon us today. Spread forth Your hands on our troubles and bring them down, grinding them into dust until they blow away from our feet. Then with those same hands, lift our spirits on high with Thee so that we may be glad and rejoice knowing that indeed You have rewarded us with the presence of Thyself!

Our verse for today is one of the best known verses in the Bible. Despite its familiarity, there is much to be learned anew about this precious jewel in our Locket. It is a part of the triumph song that will be sung in the land of Judah. (Isaiah 26:1) The richness of the melody and the impact of the words should thrill our souls today. The song tells of the people of the Lord seeing before them that future strong city whose walls and bulwarks are salvation, appointed by God Himself. They sing forth: Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in! Verse 2 The song of our hearts should be to ever dwell in that city whose security is as strong as the assured promise of eternal salvation in Christ, a fortress which no man, circumstance or evil can ever penetrate. Standing within the gate, we view the marvelous city before us. There is much to learn there, many riches to be purchased in its market place. The array of wares for our purchase are those that meet the need of every soul, the desire of every heart. The King of the City and the Keeper of the wares is Christ Himself. The first item He offers is Peace. When we look at the price tag, we find it is Paid In Full and the Purchaser was Christ: ...He was wounded for our transgressions...the chastisement of our peace was upon him... Isaiah 53:5, ...we have peace with our God through our Lord Jesus Christ: Romans 5:1, For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Ephesians 2:14, And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself: by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. Colossians 1:20. The sign may lead us to believe that this item of Peace is reserved for another, as the sign "Already Sold" would appear in an earthly store. But, "No," the keeper of the stall informs us, "the Purchaser has obtained this precious item at great cost to Himself, so that you can take possession of it for your own use. He has left this message for any and all that inquire: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you...’ John 14:27 He even instructed that it be wrapped in this special parchment of promise. There is one here on the table with your name attached. Take it, please. Don’t worry about your friend coming into the city now, I know you will want her to have some. There is a vast storehouse full of the same item, all wrapped with promise and tied with love." Within this city, whose walls are set in place by the Master Architect, peace is kept and observed by the King’s great power. There is no question who will do the keeping of this great prize. It is Thou, the One who is the object of the believer’s trust, the LORD JEHOVAH of verse four. He will keep our peace as a watch guard, preserving and guarding it and us from danger, keeping it blockaded from all that would assault it. There is a permanency in that keeping and in the peace as it comes from the Guardian of eternity. It is interesting to note the covenant relationship that exists in this passage. In verse two, the righteous nation is seen as they that keepeth the truth, as the entering in ones. It is they who are the ones that are kept in peace. When we keep the commitment to trust in the Truth, the Lord Jesus Christ, He keeps us in peace! What a tremendous commitment responsibility we have in this matter. As we keep our commitment to truth, God will impart to us peace. No matter what the circumstances, His commitment to us is to keep us in perfect peace. Many "half way" Christians, saved but not committed to a living faith, criticize God’s dealings with them. They justify their lack of faith by saying, "if God really meant all He promised, this thing would not be happening to me," "where is God when I need Him?" "I just don’t think I can handle this," etc. They expect God to manifest His commitments to them in manners of their own devise, but the question remains, have they really kept their commitments to God ? The promise to the "keepers" is perfect peace. On seeing those two words, again the word "tremendous" comes to mind. The greatness of God’s gift to our souls is truly tremendous and beyond anything the world could ever offer. It is PERFECT: absolute, with no flaw, complete, and completely fitting for every situation. PEACE: the fullness of meaning is just touched by words such as completeness, safety, soundness. It is covenant peace with God. The two words, perfect peace, are actually "Peace, Peace" or "Shalom, Shalom" in the Hebrew. Read the verse again with the Hebrew meaning: "peace, peace," and hear the echo of the sweet hymn: "Peace, Peace, Wonderful peace, coming down from the Father above, Sweep over my spirit, forever, I pray, in fathomless billows of love." The double emphasis conveys the concept of unending, multiplied peace. It will be given to those whose mind is stayed on [God]. It is our mind, not just our emotions, where God gives the peace. It is to that part of us which can so easily wander, so easily be swayed, that God gives the stability of His peace. This unique word for mind is only used in this manner once in the whole Bible, and that once is here. It means purpose, imagination and intellectual framework. It comes from a Hebrew root word that means a thing formed or framed, as man was formed from the dust of the earth or the object made by the hand of a potter, or the framework erected by the master carpenter. To the mind that was shaped and framed by the Creator is given that which will make it strong in the storms of life. In our life, it is our mind that can be most often turned. Our mind affects our emotions and even sometimes our physical life. The use of our mind is that which effects others, while the action of many other parts of our physical self, such as our stomach or heart, does not. This important part of our being is where God implants His perfect peace, His peace, peace. It is the mind that is stayed on thee. As I looked at the phrase, I wondered what does this group of words picture? Is it a mind that is stayed as a boat securely anchored in the sheltered harbor? One that is not cast adrift by the waves of troubles, but stayed on God, not straying to other things but securely anchored: focused, not drifting or distracted. The Hebrew word carries with it the concept of resting upon or leaning against. It is that mind that is resting in Jesus, safe ever more! The tense of the phrase adds the emphasis of being in a constant state of trust, all encompassing our lives so that we can always trust. The word because tells us why the peace is given and kept: because this one trusts in the Lord! The word trust here is in the Qal form, implying it is not something we must work on, or consciously force to happen; it is uniquely and beautifully that given gift of God that works daily in our hearts and minds so we can have confidence and be secure in the Lord as a continuous state of mind. The secret to our peace is found in the keeping and trusting. Having entered in to that glorious presence of our Lord, we will live in that eternal city in perfect peace. But being already citizens of that Heavenly city, we can live in that peace and trust even now. The dwelling is not just for the future, but can be for the present. How often we picture that peaceful city, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and the righteous King who dwells there. We sing of that city where we will go to dwell someday. Yet the secret of successful, peaceful and trusting life in the present is to be as those that have already entered in. Oh Lord, thank You that You have opened wide the gates of Your eternal city, when salvation was secured upon the Cross of Calvary. Thank You that You Yourself, as the Nail, have fastened every plank of that wall, laid every block of stone and mixed the mortar with Your own blood. Knowing we have entered into Your city through Christ the Door, help us to live lives of righteousness, bound to the keeping of Thy truth, so that we may enter into the fullness of joy and peace that You harbor for us there.

DAY 336     Isaiah 26:4     Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

The command of verse 4 seems to issue directly from the throne in the midst of the city of promise told of in Isaiah 26:1-3. With bold declaration we are told to Trust ye in the Lord for ever... The action God desires of us is trust. When we trust, we acknowledge that our God is truly the Lord of our lives. This imperative carries with it the command to be bold, be secure, be confident, and place that confidence in the LORD. The little word ye emphasizes that this is to be an individual trust in the LORD. The verse is exclusionary in nature, for this unique trust we are to individually give is not to anything or anyone else. The depth of the commitment covenant we should make must start and end with God. Out from that trust flows all the other qualitites of commitment that we can then make to others in our lives. Without a primary trust in the Lord, we are unable to make valid pledges of confidence in and with even those closest to us in the earthly sphere. Lack of trust in the Lord causes us to doubt the trust of others and weakens our own ability to keep confidences we have spoken. Marriages falter, friendships suffer and churches are weakened without the all encompassing acknowledgment and obedience to the command to Trust ye in the Lord. The first area we need to examine when relationships weaken, is our commitment to the Lord. Our bold confidence is to be in the LORD, Jehovah, the self existent One, the One who lives and reigns forever and ever. He will always be there, He is always available, He is never changing. It is interesting that the very concept of His name as cited here directly relates to the duration of our trust, "forever." As in the Ten Commandments, the priority of our trust is to be a reminder to have no other gods before Him who is Lord over all. The perpetual, continuously existing nature of our trust is to be forever. The very essence of our commitment to God must be one of never ending trust. It is the concept of continuously seen in a continuing future. It is as if the question is asked, "Have I learned that He whom I trust now, I will trust in all my tomorrows?" We need to ask ourselves, "How long will I trust the Lord in a situation? Will I keep on trusting even if the end is long in coming, even if it is years before I have the answer, even if the ‘answer’ never seems to come in my lifetime, even if it is answered differently than I expected? Will I trust even if that which I feared the most happens or that which is most unexpected suddenly overwhelms me? Do I have any ‘even ifs’ that I have never laid on the altar of promise?" Oh, Lord, let there never be anything that would turn my trust from You. We know not what tomorrow, or even today, holds for us. We should desire to be a people who view the present with eternity eyes of vision, seeing the invisible hand of the Lord working that which is within His will. Years ago, I heard of a single woman missionary who spent a life time in a primitive South American tribe. She labored for years, never seeing a convert, but she was always true to her calling, always trusting in her Lord. After her retirement, the mission sent a young couple to take her place, warning them of the lack of evident fruit. Within a short time the majority of the tribe turned to the Lord. When they were asked to explain the "why" of their decision, they said that for years they had watched the original missionary, the first Christian they had ever met. They had seen the consistency in her life and often discussed the words that she shared. The seeds had been sewn and cultivated by the life of that trusting lady, who had never seen any evidence of the dealings of God that were happening each day. The story is told of a woman who prayed for her unsaved husband. Though he often ridiculed her for her faith and he continued an ungodly life, she never faltered in trust in the Lord. Years went by, the lady died, and at her funeral her husband was gloriously saved. With tears streaming down his face, he confessed that the faithful testimony of his wife had impacted his life. What she did not gain in her earthly life, she would treasure in eternity forever. In my young married life, God broke my heart one day while I was in prayer. It was as if He spoke within and said, "I may not always ask you to understand the reasons ‘why,’ My child, I just ask you to trust Me." I have often been reminded of that dramatic instruction to my life. In concern for my children, in tragedies and in challenges, I hear again those words speak to my heart. I began my missionary life with months of giving this testimony in churches. It was then that I became very ill and was diagnosed with an incurable brain disease. We learned this would prevent us from serving in Brazil. As all this loomed before me, I heard my testimony bounce back to me from off a hundred church auditorium walls: "I may not always ask you to understand the reasons ‘why,’ My child, I just ask you to trust Me." I began to more deeply glimpse the depth of placing full confidence in the Lord who is the great Lover of our souls and Designer of our life. Has something happened in your life that is outside the realm of your "perfect" planning? Can you this day learn to lay that thing or person or situation in God’s hands and, not understanding the whys, learn to trust Him beyond knowledge and beyond understanding? One day we will know all the "whys" of our lives when we stand before Him in Glory. Until that time, we must just trust in His all knowing work and will. Several years ago I heard a challenging sermon illustration. The scene was painted of a beautiful Saturday morning, when the man of the house stood gazing at the loveliness of his yard and home and heard the joy of children playing outside. The preacher said, "Pretend you are that man. Do you trust the Lord at that moment, do you really trust Him? Outside the laughter continues and you get a cup of coffee smelling its fresh aroma, thinking of your plans for the day. Do you still trust Him? Suddenly you hear a car screeching. Do you still trust Him? You hear screams where there had been laughter. Do you still trust Him? You run out the door and through the yard into the street. Do you still trust Him? All the neighborhood children stand there crying, but there is one familiar little child you sense is not standing in the crowd. Do you still trust Him? As your heart races and your eyes peer through the crowd to the figure lying on the street, you know. The one lying there is your own dear child, the only one you have. Do you still trust Him?" At this moment of contemplation, we need to bow before the Lord in our hearts and deeply think: what would it take to sever my trust? Take the challenge to examine yourself. Remember that Satan already knows what you hold closest to your heart. Can you trust the Lord even with that possession, that life, that dream? Determine to be an overcomer in trust and cast that area at the Lord’s feet. His promises are true, no matter what the "whys." When we boldly place our total confidence in the Lord, He declares: Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22 This matter spells either success or failure in our Christian lives. In our verse, we find the answer to the question, "Why should we trust so completely?" It is for, or because, in the LORD Jehovah is everlasting strength. He is an everlasting, forever God. It is His very nature. He was and is never ending. We should be forever trusting people, for we are bound together in an everlasting covenant with the eternal ONE. The word strength is from the word for rock. God is the Rock of strength, the everlasting Mighty One, the One upon whom we can build our lives. Even after the last word of our verse, there is something to learn from the ending colon. It helps us to understand some of the reasons our God’s strength is so important to us. The colon points to verse five that declares God will bring all lofty, high and mighty things low, even to the dust. Those things that oppose us, God can bring low. Even those things within our own selves hold no true challenge to the strength of the Lord. Let God bring them low in you today, so that you can know His strength. Out of the "dust" of things that "oppose" the "you" God has designed, the Master Architect can build a dwelling of beauty for your life. O Jehovah, help me to obey Your command and trust You in all things. Take the areas of my life that strive to weaken that trust and grind them into dust. Build anew in me a heart of genuine confidence. Help me to boldly say, In God I have put my trust. Psalm 56:4