Sing

November 14

If one is looking for encouragement from the Word of God, aside from the gospel message that Jesus died for our sins and washed us clean and made us fit for Heaven, there is hardly a better place to look than to Chapter 54 of the Book of Isaiah. Perhaps the first clue that it is going to contain an uplifting message is that it begins with the word, ‘Sing…’

It goes on to indicate that the believer should not be discouraged by past fruitlessness but should be lifted up and encouraged by the promises the Lord makes of expansion and vindication. It assures that believers are watched over by a loving God who will not allow the reproach of past failures to dog their heels. Something transformative happens when we confess our faith in the Lord.

In verses 14 through 17 the prophet says, “I will build you in righteousness. You will be safe from those who would hurt you, so you will have nothing to fear…I will not send anyone to attack you, so if you are attacked, you will defeat your foe. As the blacksmith intensifies the fire to craft his weapons, so I have made the waster to destroy, but no weapon that is formed against you shall stand.

“Every tongue that shall rise against you to condemn you, you shall condemn, for this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, whose righteousness is from Me, says the Lord.” He assures that He will not condemn us and He will not permit others to condemn His blood-bought people. Paul says in Romans 10:10, “We believe in our hearts and are made right with God. As we confess our faith, we are saved.”