Something to Sing About
Opening Prayer
Lord God, Your Word is full of good news, wisdom and encouragement. I wait for more of it now.
Read Isaiah 54:1-17
[1] “Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD. [2] “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. [3] For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. [4] “Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. [5] For your Maker is your husband- the LORD Almighty is his name- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. [6] The LORD will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit- a wife who married young, only to be rejected,” says your God. [7] “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. [8] In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer. [9] “To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again. [10] Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. [11] “Afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with lapis lazuli. [12] I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones. [13] All your children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their peace. [14] In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you. [15] If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you. [16] “See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc; [17] no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What promise(s) does the Lord make to his people here?I mentioned earlier that I like watching my team play soccer on Saturdays. One of my favorite things is the singing. Sometimes we sing to encourage our team when they are losing, but sometimes we sing for sheer joy because we are winning. Grown men don’t often sing for joy, but when they do it’s a wonderful sound. This passage is an invitation to sing our hearts out, but not in order to encourage the losing team. No, today we are singing because God has brought us victory. We sing joyfully, like an infertile woman who finds herself with the family she always wanted (1). We sing in celebration like a deserted wife who finds a good husband at last (6). We sing with reflected pride like the people of a great city that was destroyed by a hurricane and rebuilt far more beautiful than before (11,12). God himself joins in the song, “I will bring you back” (7). “I will have compassion” (8). “I will rebuild you” (11). “I have created the strong man (the destroyer) to rescue and protect you.” There’s real joy in God’s voice as he urges us to join the song.
Apply
Sing a song of praise to God now. Sing from your heart and imagine that you can hear God singing along with you.
Closing prayer
Father God, may my spirit always be ready to sing Your praises for who You are and all You have done.
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