By Guest Writer
Today’s devotional was originally published with yesterday’s content. Here is the correct devotional corresponding with Day 40, “Joyous Restoration.”
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 65:1-25, Isaiah 66:1-24, Romans 8:19-25, Revelation 21:1-4
It seems as if every day lately there is another story on the news to give me reason to long for new creation. Natural disasters, missing children, death and disease—all of it brings me to my knees in prayer, pleading with God for a world where suffering is no more. Isaiah 65–66 provides us with a picture of what that kind of new creation will look like—the Lord’s justice and compassion finally making all things new.
These chapters of Isaiah are not all rainbows and butterflies. Isaiah describes in detail how God’s justice will prevail over sin: “then the LORD’s power will be revealed to his servants, but he will show his wrath against his enemies” (Isaiah 66:14). But one of my favorite things about God is that He is both loving and just. He is not a vengeful God, punishing those who disobey Him just to spite them. He is so righteous and so just that He must act in accordance with that righteousness. He will not let the guilty go unpunished (Exodus 34:7), but He will look favorably on those who are humble and repentant (Isaiah 66:2). God is both things: just and compassionate.
The new creation described in Isaiah provides hope for us today. In places filled with worry and anxiety, the Lord will make peace flow like a river. Hearts that were once heavy with sadness and desperation will experience the fullness of joy. There will no longer be any weeping or crying, only the sound of praise to the Lord Most High. The troubles of the old world will be forgotten, and broken spirits will be made whole again. It is not just a renovation of earth as we know it but a complete renewal—a brand new creation where God dwells with his people.
There is no shortage of pain and suffering in our world today. I have experienced it in my own life, and I have seen it in the lives of those around me. In times of hardship, it can sometimes feel impossible to see beyond what is right in front of us. But Isaiah reminds us that the Lord knows all our works and thoughts; He is familiar with the innermost workings of our hearts. He will not leave us to wither away like the grass, but He will gather us and bring us home to Himself for us to see His glory. Thanks be to God for the joy promised to be restored to our souls.
Written by Ellen Taylor
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