These dear people thought God had got rid of them forever.Some do think that God has cut them off.Some do think that God really does not want to have anything to do with certain folks.Whatever situation you may find yourself in as you read this, know that God will never never write you off nor will He cut you off! That is just not His nature.These thoughts emerge from my reading and study of the third 'Servant Song' in the prophetic book of Isaiah.When God chose Israel it was if He had married them, and we read of this in the Covenant he made with His chosen people in the book of Genesis, and now they thought He had divorced her and was going to leave her in Babylon.This is why God asks in these opening words of Isaiah Chapter 50 some searching and challenging questions.Prove it.Show Me the divorce certificate.Or they thought God had been in debt in and He had sold His people into slavery.People must have been saying these things in Babylon, where they were taken captive and where they lived in exile for some seventy years, and that is why God raises up Isaiah to spell things out and make things clear.God did not owe the Babylonians anything that He had to sell His People to them.God does not have to pay any bills.The fault is all on your side, and not on mine.When I came to meet you, why was there no-one there?When you were in Egypt was My arm too short to reach for you and rescue? No.I led you out under Moses.I dealt with the sea, and you passed safely across.These are such powerful words and so reassuring.In Isaiah Chapter 40 the theme is all about comfort and renewal and soaring over troubles and problems.In Chapter 42, in the first of these Songs or Poems, the topic all about the call and calling and role of the Servant.In Chapter 49, we read of the prophetic role of the Servant who has such a highly specific purpose to fulfil.Do take time to read these words and let them bless you and minister to you.They are profoundly significant.In Chapter 50, Isaiah speaks about the degree of suffering which the Servant would face and endure.Isaiah speaks about the darkness which was and is all around, but he teaches that there are some things which we can see in the dark and in the darkness which we cannot see in the light.If the sun has set in your life, know that it will rise again.Many times I have said to people over these past years when darkness and sadness has enveloped them, "You will smile again!" and some three or six months later they have come to me to inform me that the darkness has passed and they are able to smile once more.That is a most wonderful experience when you hear these encouraging words.Sandy Shaw.
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