June 10 – Isaiah 30:1-26
And today we come to the chapter that holds my life verse and the verse on which the name of our study is based! I love this chapter of Isaiah so much. It starts out with a warning. Judah has decided to make a treaty with Egypt, so that if war comes, they have an ally to fight with them. Isaiah talks about donkeys laden with treasures from the treasuries of Judah, bringing it all to Egypt in exchange for a promise of help. And the sad thing is? God has told Isaiah that Egypt will take the treasure and will be of no help at all to Judah. What a waste!
In this passage we hear God’s hurting heart. He would be their protector if they would only turn to Him and let Him. He is the One who can help them fight the enemy. Why are they turning to another country and not to Him? Why will they not listen?
So God waits for them. He wants to help, but until they turn and ask, He won’t. Instead, they will scurry around frantically making plans and plots to save themselves when the real answer is this: “This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it” (Isaiah 26:15). This basic message still applies. When we stop and seek God in stillness and trust, then we find refuge and strength and help. Too often, we will “have none of it.” Instead, we buy another self-help book and talk to another friend and make another plan. We “keep busy” instead of sitting and waiting on the Lord. Oh, how we need to learn this lesson!
Last of all, we come to the promises that even with all that His people have done to walk away, God will help them in an instant if they will turn to Him. His heart is for them. He will respond. He will help them. He will, in the words of our theme verse, enable us to hear him:
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying,
“This is the way; walk in it.” —Isaiah 30:21 NIV
My verse: Isaiah 30:20 “Though the LORD gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes.”
My response: Adversity and suffering happen. And You allow it to come. That’s the reality. Your people suffer, too. Calamity, cancer, chaos – we don’t escape it. Yet, Lord, You don’t leave us. You will still be with me when the hard times come, teaching me deep truths right in the midst of the suffering. Thank You for Your Presence. Anything is endurable if You are there and I can see You with my own eyes.
