March 13 | Isaiah 40:1-2
“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40:1–2, ESV)
When we experience pain, suffering, and loss, we cry out to God and seek solace in the arms of people who love us and care for us. We don’t like to go through painful experiences. Some people remark that they are part of life. As long as sin and Satan rule this world, pain and suffering are inevitable.
Isaiah 40 marks the beginning of a new section in the book. God has just taken Israel to task, along with the nations around them. Here, God begins to announce how He will solve the sin problem for Israel. It begins with His comfort for a people battered and beaten by His judgment. He will bring a new plan for their redemption.
The verses right after the opening of Isaiah 40 proclaim a voice in the wilderness, a prophecy about John the Baptist. John was a most important person because he was the forerunner of the Messiah. He preached a message of repentance to prepare the way for Jesus to save us of our sins and put His spirit in us.
The doom and gloom of the first 39 chapters of Isaiah is what we see around us every day. People living in sin don’t realize there’s a better way. Jesus takes us from sin and shame to righteousness and glory in Him. He is doing that in you little by little every day.
Action Step: Thank Jesus for His indescribable grace. Every time you fall into sin or allow temptation to entice you, look to Jesus for His way of escape.
Jesus, I know you have made me a new creature. But because of the wickedness around me, sometimes I am enticed by temptation and sinful thoughts. Cleanse me and make me whole and holy. Show me Your grace and mercy.
