Compassion after Rejection

God Loves Us
God's Pervasive and Sustaining Love

God's Sustaining Love

Isaiah 54:1-10. The Message

Spread Out! Think Big!

54 1-6 “Sing, barren woman, who has never had a baby.
    Fill the air with song, you who’ve never experienced childbirth!
You’re ending up with far more children
    than all those childbearing women.” God says so!
“Clear lots of ground for your tents!
    Make your tents large. Spread out! Think big!
Use plenty of rope,
    drive the tent pegs deep.
You’re going to need lots of elbow room
    for your growing family.
You’re going to take over whole nations;
    you’re going to resettle abandoned cities.
Don’t be afraid—you’re not going to be embarrassed.
    Don’t hold back—you’re not going to come up short.
You’ll forget all about the humiliations of your youth,
    and the indignities of being a widow will fade from memory.
For your Maker is your bridegroom,
    his name, God-of-the-Angel-Armies!
Your Redeemer is The Holy of Israel,
    known as God of the whole earth.
You were like an abandoned wife, devastated with grief,
    and God welcomed you back,
Like a woman married young
    and then left,” says your God.
7-8 Your Redeemer God says:
“I left you, but only for a moment.
    Now, with enormous compassion, I’m bringing you back.
In an outburst of anger, I turned my back on you—
    but only for a moment.
It’s with lasting love
    that I’m tenderly caring for you.
9-10 “This exile is just like the days of Noah for me:
    I promised then that the waters of Noah
    would never again flood the earth.
I’m promising now no more anger,
    no more dressing you down.
For even if the mountains walk away
    and the hills fall to pieces,
My love won’t walk away from you,
    my covenant commitment of peace won’t fall apart.”
    The God who has compassion on you says so.

For Reflection

The woman about whom the Psalmist is singing is a reference to the Hebrew return from captivity.  The passages prophesied the expansion of God's kingdom and God's commitment to abide with you in peace. Centuries have passed, and Christ has shown us that God's commitment has extended beyond the Jews to all humankind. Rather than merit, the new covenant is built on the compassion and mercy of God, inviolable and everlasting.


Pray

Praise God in shouts of Joy and singing to the top of your voice.  Dance with God.  Speak with God, Walk in partnership with God.  This is your hallowing moment. Thank God for your freedom to love  as God loves.