While reading in Isaiah recently, here are some excerpts from several passages that impressed me.
ISAIAH 35:8-10
“A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it,
but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray. 9 No lion shall be there, Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; 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 singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
As we continue to joyfully live for the Lord, here are a few special thoughts to meditate on from these verses:
JESUS IS THE WAY
- His way is a way of holiness (separation from worldliness). We are to be holy, even as He is holy.
I Peter 1:15-16 – …but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
- It is a way of righteousness and purity – a way of rightness, not error, wrong, and uncleanness.
THE WAY OF THE REDEEMED
- The redeemed of the Lord shall walk this way – it is a way of living that is unlike the world. Those who have been redeemed by the Lord embrace it. The world scoffs at it.
THE REDEEMED RETURN TO THIS WAY
- The redeemed of the Lord return – those truly saved and redeemed need to return to Him, and Zion (His dwelling place). Backsliders need to come home, and gather once again to sing, rejoice, and praise the Lord together for His goodness.
TRUE JOY OBTAINED
- When His people return to the Lord – there is true, lasting, everlasting joy and rejoicing in His presence. Joy and gladness are obtained. Sorrow, mourning, and sadness disappears.
- When people whole-heartedly sing and rejoice in the Lord together, it is wonderful! He dwells in the praises of His people. (Psalm 22:3) We are to come before his presence with singing. (Psalm 100:1-20) In His presence is fulness of joy. (Psalm 16:11).
ISAIAH 12
In Isaiah 12 we are reminded to joyfully sing, praise and rejoice in the Lord with thankful hearts with His people from all over the world…
- Verse 1 – Let’s praise the Lord for His comfort, mercy, and compassion!
- Verse 2 – ...the Lord is our strength, song, and salvation.
- Verse 3 – With joy we are to draw water out of the wells of salvation.
- Verse 4 – Praise the Lord, and exalt Him.
- Verse 5 – Sing for He has done excellent things, known world-wide.
- Verse 6 – Shout forth His greatness – He dwells in your midst.
ISAIAH 26:3-4
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
4 Trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.”
- It is a reminder of the importance of what we set our mind and our thoughts on, — what we think about! No wonder Paul makes a huge statement in Philippians 4:8 about our thoughts, and thinking about the right kinds of things! It produces the good fruit of righteousness, peace, and joy in our life! It is how we can maintain faith and trust, and not give place to doubt and fear. It produces strength. When Paul states “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me” in Philippians 4:13, a few verses later, he must have been practicing self-control with his thoughts, and setting His mind on the Lord – which strengthened him.
