By Guest Writer
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40:1-31, Isaiah 41:1-29, 2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Over the past six months or so, I have faced significant discouragement and uncertainty. At times I felt like a little kid lost in the grocery store, wandering up and down each aisle searching for my mom. The image found in Isaiah 40:11 of God as a gentle shepherd, protecting and leading His sheep, has had a profound impact on me as I’ve felt so lost.
In chapters 40 and 41, the prophet Isaiah painted a picture of God as a faithful and comforting God. Not only was He with them in their time of exile, but He promised to also bring them out of it. Isaiah described in great detail all the ways in which the Israelites sinned and turned away from God. But in chapter 40, Isaiah reminded them of the comfort of the God they served. He said that Israel’s time of hard service was over and that her iniquity had been pardoned (Isaiah 40:2). God instructed Isaiah to speak tenderly to the Israelites. His voice was no longer condemning but comforting.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray. But in our wilderness wanderings, the God of all comfort and compassion has promised to gather us in His arms and lead us down the right path. Isaiah 40:11 says that God “gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them in the fold of his garment.” When God picks up His people and brings us back home to Him, He does not hold us at arms’ length. Carrying us in the fold of His garment implies a deeper, more intimate relationship. Just as a shepherd knows His sheep (John 10:14–15), God knows His people and desires for them to be close to Him. His promise to lead us gently reminds us that we can trust Him completely, even when the path ahead seems treacherous and unclear. Only when we fully surrender to the comfort and guidance of the Shepherd can we take hold of the promise that He will guide us.
Despite the hardships and uncertainties the Israelites faced, God comforted them with hope, reminding them that in His faithfulness He had a plan to redeem them from all their wrongdoing and bring them back into right relationship with Him. God’s comfort is not just a feeling to lean into during times of fear or uncertainty. His comfort is a reality grounded in the truth of who He is—our faithful, sovereign provider.
Written by Ellen Taylor
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