A Recipe for Restoration

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Every now and then I come across a nugget of Scripture that strikes a chord in my heart. Usually, it is something I did not know was there -- a verse, a phrase, even a word. Usually it is in the Old Testament, long thought by many to be inferior to the New in regards to its rich theology. Tonight I was inspired and strengthened by words penned 2700 years ago by Isaiah. After prophesying against rebellious Judah, the prophet wrote in chapter 30:

"Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.

O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you. Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, [He], your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left. And you will defile your graven images overlaid with silver, and your molten images plated with gold. You will scatter them as an impure thing, [and] say to them, “Be gone!”

Then He will give [you] rain for the seed which you will sow in the ground, and bread [from] the yield of the ground, and it will be rich and plenteous; on that day your livestock will graze in a roomy pasture."

You know, the Lord never turns a deaf ear on those who call out His name. In fact, He's not even waiting for you to say the right words. He's just waiting, "in eager expectation" as David would put it in Psalm 5, for you to long for Him! Will you? Will I?

If you do... He's got a bunch of things He's gonna do for you.

• He will answer your emotional prayers.
• He will show Himself to you
• You will hear Him speak to you. It's that voice in the back of your head giving you counsel, Isaiah implies.
• You will know the will of God so you can follow it, right or left
• You will be motivated by His grace and His compassion to get rid of His competition
• And you will have prosperity

I love it! Isaiah later says that God will give you songs in the night and gladness of heart. I'm waiting for those songs! Will they be new ones or will they be old favorites? Radio tunes or church songs? Or both?

How fun!

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