Three reflections - one passage #1
| This is what the sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation in quietness and trust is your strength but you would have none of it. You said 'No, we will flee on horses.' Therefore you will flee! You said 'We will ride off on swift horses!' Therefore your pursuers will be swift!" (Isaiah30:15-16) |
Isaiah 30:15-16 is a passage that has grabbed my heart often - especially during Lent. Over the next three days I'm going to share three reflections on this passage - they were written in 2002, 2010 and 2014....
[From 2002]
When someone is given as full and formal introduction as Isaiah gives the Lord here, it is a signal that the message about to be heard is a very urgent and serious one. Isaiah is warning the people that returning to God is the only antidote to the political chaos of their time. Military strength or clever maneuvering will not do it. There is only one thing that will work: They need to return to God in quiet surrender.
This is tough medicine for us to swallow. We'd rather read another self-help book or master another time-management technique, but the Bible is adamant: The more we try to escape our circumstances by our own ingenuity, the more stubborn and effective our pursuers will become!
In order to obtain peace, we need to look at the four words Isaiah brings to us:
- Repentance: Humbling ourselves, forsaking Godless ways, and accepting God's forgiveness
- Rest: Not just sleep, but recreating rest.
- Quietness: Making time to be with God and let Him talk to me.
- Trust: Not trying to do everything by myself, but relying on Him to help us.
What does this mean practically?
- Close the door, switch off the phone, and take regular time to listen to God.
- Be aware that God wants to give us strength and help and trust Him.
Otherwise those pursuers will catch you!
