ESOCS Devotional 3 December 2023 – Joy of Redeemed
MEMORY VERSE: “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Isaiah 35: 10 KJV
TEXT: ISAIAH 35: 1 – 10 (KJV)
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.
3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
7 And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
We live in a society that is increasingly dividing people into “haves and have nots”. Such a division breaks apart whatever sense of community exists amongst people. It builds walls of misunderstanding that lead to isolation, not just of those with problems, but everyone isolating themselves in self-protection.
Our text reminds us of the power of God to transform the harshest setting and bring about a joy that is deep and lasting. Isaiah saw, in a vision, the wondrous power of God to bring life where there is nothingness and joy where there is hopelessness. In his vision, the desert was brought to bloom and the wilderness became a paradise. The result is overwhelming joy because the Lord can and will do such amazing things for those whom God loves. The power to transform, offer hope and to bring joy, that’s the power that Isaiah saw and proclaimed. It’s the power that transformed the Son of God into a helpless, vulnerable baby. It’s the power that transformed simple, uneducated men and women into disciples who first followed Jesus and then led vast numbers of people to Him. It’s the power that transformed an instrument of torture and death–the Cross—into a throne for the one who conquered sin and death. It’s the power that transformed a frightened group of believers, who thought they had lost their leader, into the most dynamic, faithful religious force the world has ever known. It’s the power that transforms the brokenness of people with their pain and problems into people who know that, no matter what they face, they are not alone. It’s the power that transforms a situation which seems beyond desperate and breathes new strength, courage and hope into it. It’s the power that has made and continues to make all the difference in the world.
There is a way back for those who feel in exile, a community for those who feel isolated, an oasis for those who are wandering in the wilderness and hope for those who feel squeezed out to the margins of our society. The way back–the community—the oasis—the hope are all founded on an impossibility—the impossible truth that the Lord God Almighty was born as an infant in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. That truth is 2000 years old. Sadly, with age comes complacency. We hear that God loves us and that Jesus came to show that love but it stays with us almost like a memorization we recite by rote. Let’s take some time to reflect on what our lives would be like if there was no God to relate to or call upon. What would life be like if you had no faith or had never had faith? What would it be like if there was no such thing as a church? What would it be like if you had never met one another in this community of faith? What would life be like if God did not exist and if Jesus had never set foot on this earth? Now, if we can tap into those feelings of loss, we can begin to see the reason that joy is a foundational part of Christian life. The Lord is come!
- Have you been redeemed? Do you appreciate God’s work of redemption upon your life?
- Father, help me to be grateful and joyful for being redeemed by you in Jesus name.
FURTHER READING: Revelation 22:6–22; Isaiah 40:1-11; Luke 1:26–45
ESOCS Devotional 3 December 2023
