Scripture
10 and those the Lord has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
Reflection
Today’s devotion continues on from yesterday’s passage. Through his spokesperson Isaiah, God paints a picture of what eternity will be like for those who trust him with their eternity. There will be no fools to suffer, no predators to guard against, only those who have repented of their own self-reliance and trusted in God’s rescue. There will be no more sorrow, no more regrets, and only deep seated endless joy from having finally arrived at the place their hearts have been yearning for. There will be lots of singing – and you do not have to worry about pitch – because it will clearly all bring joy!
For the God’s faithful followers in Isaiah’s time, this must have been so good to hear. God was asking his people to keep living in trust and obedience in Him every day, and He knew they needed to know what they were living for, what the oasis at the end of the seemingly never-ending dessert marathon would look like. While He did not given intricate details there, He told them the nature of the environment and what that environment will keep out, and what it will bring into them.
And what He told them, He has also told us. Our circumstances, though different in the specifics, is the same in nature as what the people in Isaiah’s time faced. God knows we need to know what we are running towards in this race of life. What amazing relief and rest when we each get to that day! What a wonderful thing to look forward to!
Thoughts for the day
- If you are a follower of Jesus, look up and beyond, cast your eyes in the future and see what God has promised your eternity to look like. Take a moment to thank God!
- Knowing heaven looks like that, who do you want to invite to walk the same path? Ask God for the words and opportunity to share effectively and appropriately about what God has done for you.
Prayer
Dear God and heavenly father, thank you so, so much for letting me know this is what heaven will feel like. It is going to be awesome! Help me to be mindful of this future, let that fill me with hope in your promise today. Amen.
