Isaiah
26 reminds me that one right decision can overcome a lifetime of
wrong ones. While I seem to always choose the more difficult
way, there is one decision that became the only fork in the road for
me. At 26 years old, I asked Jesus Christ to be my Savior and
forgive my sins. Everything that followed was a result of that
choice. I believe that God directs my steps and ministers
through me now in spite of my imperfections. God does not call
us home the moment we receive forgiveness for one reason and that is
to allow others to see Him in us. In today’s chapter,
Isaiah’s focus is on that singular decision: Is Christ your
Savior? He begins, “In
that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah“.
What day? The day described in Matthew 25, “When
the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He
will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be
gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats“.
Isaiah continues with the words of a song of praise, “Open
the gates that the righteous nation may enter… in perfect peace…
whose minds
are steadfast, because they trust in You… Trust in the LORD
forever… the Rock eternal“.
Who are the ones singing? I believe it is the same people Jesus
separated on His right, “Come,
you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom
prepared for you since the creation of the world”
(Matt 25:34).
The
song continues, “The path of
the righteous is level; You, the Upright One,
make the way of the righteous
smooth“. This does not
mean that all stress and sadness go away, but it does mean we now
walk in the wisdom of His Word and the presences of His Spirit,
“walking in the way of Your
laws, we
wait for You“. For me
personally, the more I read God’s Word, the more I wanted to know.
I saw a difference from the wisdom of man. Isaiah next
expresses the limit to our ability, “But
when grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness…
they go on doing evil and do not
regard the majesty of the LORD“.
Forgiveness is extended to all, but too many do not accept it.
Isaiah pleads for those too proud to see their need for God’s
grace, “Your hand is lifted
high, but they do not see it. Let them see your zeal for your
people“. Is God getting
your attention?
For
the rest of the chapter Isaiah prays for the believer with a loved
one that will not repent. The faithful are broken hearted over
their family or friend that does not see the devastation ahead.
“LORD, You establish peace for
us“. Many come to Christ
wounded and defeated, “LORD,
they came to You in their
distress; when You disciplined them, they could barely whisper a
prayer“. After being
cleansed and restored they want others to know that same joy, yet all
will not believe. Isaiah says, “We
writhed in labor, but we gave birth to wind. We have not
brought salvation to the earth“.
Isaiah says of the Day of Judgment, “Go,
my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide
yourselves for a little while until His wrath has passed by.
See, the LORD is coming out of
His dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins“.
Remember Matthew 25? Jesus will also address those who choose
to reject His offer of forgiveness, “Then
he will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are
cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels”
(Matt 25:41). Are you at that fork in the road? Friend, I
pray you will make the choice that will change everything today and
in eternity.
.