Isaiah 30-35, 1 Corinthians 5-6
I grow weary of waiting. To be honest, I’m not even sure what I’m waiting for. God promises a life “to the full,” but I’m not feeling it. Worse yet, I see trouble on the horizon. The economy is unstable, health issues arise, relationships are strained, and I can’t sleep anymore. What do I do? I rush ahead, just like the Israelites.
The Israelites had their struggles. Constantly threatened by invasion, they were a small nation, vulnerable to being overpowered by neighboring armies. Exhausted from living in fear, they turned to Egypt for a solution. Egypt was powerful, with a vast army and a mighty Pharaoh. So, Israel sought an alliance.
They believed this alliance would protect them. Once the threat from their neighbors was gone, they could live freely. Better yet, they thought they’d thrive. After all, a good alliance brings new opportunities. But this wasn’t true. The Israelites had forgotten what happened before. Their previous alliance with Egypt didn’t bring protection and provision; it led to oppression and slavery. This is the prophet Isaiah’s warning: if they proceed with this alliance, they will face shame and humiliation (Isaiah 30:3).
Thankfully, Isaiah doesn’t leave Israel without a solution. He reminds them of the grace that awaits them—grace that is freely given and abundantly provided by God. This grace, Isaiah says, is beyond what they can imagine. It dispels darkness, heals wounds, and binds brokenness (Isaiah 30:26). More than that, it fills hearts with gladness and strikes fear into their enemies (Isaiah 30:29-31).
Isaiah’s words are just as relevant today. We see all kinds of alliances and quick fixes to our problems—money, medicine, and more. But none of them truly work. It is only through the love and grace of Jesus Christ that we find what we’re searching for if we remember Isaiah’s precious words:
“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you,
and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him.” (Isaiah 30:18)