ESOCS Devotional 4 January 2026 – From Forsaken to Beloved
MEMORY VERSE: “No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married.” Isaiah 62:4 NIV
TEXT: ISAIAH 62:1-END
For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace,
And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
And her salvation as a lamp that burns.
2 The Gentiles shall see your righteousness,
And all kings your glory.
You shall be called by a new name,
Which the mouth of the Lord will name.
3 You shall also be a crown of glory
In the hand of the Lord,
And a royal diadem
In the hand of your God.
4 You shall no longer be termed Forsaken,
Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate;
But you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah;
For the Lord delights in you,
And your land shall be married.
5 For as a young man marries a virgin,
So shall your sons marry you;
And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
So shall your God rejoice over you.
6 I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
They shall]never hold their peace day or night.
You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent,
7 And give Him no rest till He establishes
And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
8 The Lord has sworn by His right hand
And by the arm of His strength:
“Surely I will no longer give your grain
As food for your enemies;
And the sons of the foreigner shall not drink your new wine,
For which you have labored.
9 But those who have gathered it shall eat it,
And praise the Lord;
Those who have brought it together shall drink it in My holy courts.”
10 Go through,
Go through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people;
Build up,
Build up the highway!
Take out the stones,
Lift up a banner for the peoples!
11 Indeed the Lord has proclaimed
To the end of the world:
“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Surely your salvation is coming;
Behold, His reward is with Him,
And His work before Him.’ ”
12 And they shall call them The Holy People,
The Redeemed of the Lord;
And you shall be called Sought Out,
A City Not Forsaken.
Read Other ESOCS Devotional Here
Our past does not define us; God’s love does. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul writes: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” When we accept God’s love and forgiveness, we are no longer bound by former labels like “unworthy,” “failure,” or “rejected.” We become “beloved,” “chosen,” and “redeemed.” Like Israel, many of us carry emotional and spiritual labels that weigh us down. But Isaiah 62:4 reminds us that God has a new name and identity for His people. He delights in us not because of our perfection, but because of His grace.
God’s restoration is not partial; it is complete. In Hosea 2:19–20, God tells Israel: “I will betroth you to me forever… in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion.” Even after spiritual adultery and failure, God’s covenant love remains. He does not abandon His people; He pursues them. In Luke 15, the story of the prodigal son mirrors this truth. The son, having wasted his inheritance, returns expecting to be treated as a servant. But the father runs to him, restores him, and calls him “son” again. The robe, the ring, and the feast symbolize a complete return from forsaken to beloved.
It’s easy to believe that God tolerates us, but Isaiah 62:4 says He delights in us. Zephaniah 3:17 reinforces this truth: “The Lord your God is with you… He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” What a powerful image: God rejoicing over His children with singing!
Reflections
- What old labels are you still holding onto that God has already removed?
- How does knowing God delights in you change the way you see yourself?
- Who in your life needs to hear that they are not forsaken, but beloved?
Prayer
- Lord, thank you that you do not leave me in a place of desolation. You call me beloved, you delight in me, and you restore what was broken. Help me to walk in my new identity, trusting in your love and living with the joy of being fully accepted by you. Amen.
Further Reading: Isaiah 5:1-End; 15:1-16; 1 John 1:1-End; 2:1-6; Revelation 19:1-10
ESOCS Devotional 4 January 2026
