Day 53 of 90 Devotion

Dearest e-votees-

Day fifty-three of our cover to cover voyage through the Bible. If you want to see the readings for our trip through the Bible you can follow this link:

www.christthegoodshep.org/biblein90days.html

Peace,
Karl

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Day 53 Readings: Isaiah 52:13-66:18

There are some powerful promises about God's words and the Word in our portion of scripture assigned for today:

Isaiah 55 invites those who are hungry and those who are thirsty to come and eat and drink. That God will provide for God's people. There is a deep and abiding promises that just as snow and rain do not go through their cycles without accomplishing their intended purpose so, too, with God's words. Scripture does not enter us without accomplishing what God has intended. There are not passive or ineffectual encounters with scripture. The reason we are embarking on "The Bible in 90 Days" is that we hold it to be true that we will be different come July 12 as compared to April 14.

Isaiah 52 and 53 give us a powerful picture of Jesus' suffering and passion as well as his motivations for enduring it. He was "pierced for our transgressions" and "crushed for our iniquities" because "we all, like sheep, have gone astray" and are in need of what only he can provide. So Jesus was disfigured and marred. He went willingly to the slaughter. He who created all life entered into a gruesome death on our behalf. He died among the wicked and was put into a rich man's place. Through those things and through all he endured in his life, ministry, death and resurrection Jesus has secured a right place with God for us.

Isaiah 61 is where we find the text that Jesus quoted regarding himself at the synagogue in Nazareth in Luke 4:14-21. It is early in Luke. Jesus was baptized by John, tempted in the desert and now makes he presence publicly known upon his return. He connects the beginning of his public ministry with the year of the Lord's favor. He will indeed preach the good news to the poor. He will bind up the brokenhearted. He will free the captives. Prisoners (of sin, of demons, of false understanding, of legalism, etc., etc.) with find release from the darkness.

The promises penned by Isaiah about God's words (scripture) and the Word (Jesus) are finding their fulfillment in the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus. They are finding their fulfillment in our own lives as well. The snows are rains are not returning empty.


God, help us to steep ourselves in your words and your Word. Thank you that every promise of yours is "Yes" and "Amen" in Jesus. (2 Corinthians 1:20) Amen.