Daily Devotions

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch. The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. Isaiah 62:1-5

Imagine that you are a 1^st century Jew living in Israel at the time of Jesus. Some in your family thought him a dangerous revolutionary, a charlatan. Just the latest in a long line of pretenders who came on strong but were ultimately crushed. Some in your family thought he was the promised Messiah. You were on the fence.

Then came the news that Jesus had been arrested in Jerusalem during the Passover. He was paraded through the streets like many other victims of Roman cruelty and oppression, crucified on one of the many crosses that lined the main entrance road into the city. Some in your family rejoiced at the news. Others were devastated. You were intrigued.

Then you began to hear whispers, rumors, gossip at the local well. Some were saying that Jesus was alive; he had been raised from the dead. Others were skeptical. Still others furious at the notion. You wanted to know for sure. So you looked for an obvious Jesus follower and you began to ask questions. Who was Jesus? Was he the One or are we to look for another?

You are both Jews. You have been told stories from scripture since you were a child. So you began to look back through those very stories, wondering if you would see Jesus in them. Wondering if they held the answers to your questions.

The Jesus follower reminded you of various passages from Isaiah. The hopeful passages. The servant songs. The memories of how God came to rescue his people. You were reminded of passages like this one: For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. And then you heard of the stories that Jesus told – stories about weddings, and wedding feasts, and being prepared.

Like your skeptical family and friends, you were well aware of the difficulties of your life. The heavy hand of the fearsome Romans. The haunting questions about why God would let God’s people suffer. Yet hearing the stories of Jesus touched you. They offered comfort and a strange kind of hope. You found yourself coming to believe.

Old words took on new meanings.

You found new life. You came to believe; you became a believer.

Let us pray: Gracious Lord, may we never lose the wonder of how your grace plants seeds of faith in our rebellious, discontent souls. May we never cease trusting in the promises of your Word – that we are your Bride and you love us with undying passion. Now and forever. And may we not keep such news to ourselves. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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