Renewing Our Strength #19

In Isaiah 11, after an initial round of pronouncements of judgement on Israel, God announces that His righteous Branch will some day restore a remnant of His people, bringing them back from exile to the land, where He will rule over them. It will be a place of peace, justice, and hope.  At the end of the chapter he says that the returnees will have a wide path, just as the people did when they came of out Egypt under Moses. Chapter 12 then begins this way:

 You will say in that day:
“I will give thanks to you, O Lord,
    for though you were angry with me,
your anger turned away,
    that you might comfort me.
2 “Behold, God is my salvation;
    I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
    and he has become my salvation.”

That last verse should sound familiar. It is much like we saw yesterday in the Song of Moses he and the people of Israel sang after the Lord delivered them from the Egyptians through the Red Sea.  There will be a renewed sense of strength; this song will come back into their hearts and minds; they will remember that the Lord forgives and saves.  Throughout the Old Testament, we see the people of Israel needed to be reminded of that over and over again. The Lord is merciful, loving and forgiving; the Lord saves us, and brings us back to that place of joy and renewed strength, peace and contentment.  May we find all those things through His renewed strength today.