Isaiah
43 reminds me of the beauty of true love. Love is more than a
fleeting emotion, it takes action. According to 1 Corinthians 13,
“Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not
dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it
keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but
rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always
hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails“.
In this chapter Isaiah reads God’s love letter to assure us that
God is forever faithful. He begins with the foundational truth that
God does not change! God seems to whisper over our cold shoulder,
“Do not fear, for I have
redeemed you; I
have summoned you by name; you are Mine“.
Even when we run away, He is there,
“When you pass through the
waters, I
will be with you“. Even at
our worst He does not leave our side, “For
I am the LORD your God… your Savior… you are precious and honored
in My sight… because I love you“.
His unrestrained love is given to each of us first while knowing our
flaws. He even offers signs to bolster our faith, “I
will give…nations in exchange for your life… Do not be afraid…
for I am with you“. Do you
recall the comfort of His presence? He has not gone away, He has not
moved, He does not give up, “I
will bring… and
gather you My sons… and My daughters from the ends of the earth“.
Who does God pull close? “Everyone
who is called by My Name“.
God does not make long distance calls; His Spirit comforts our spirit
with a touch.
His written Word is given for us to share
and to lift those around us that have lost hope, “Lead
out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf…
You are My witnesses… and
My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me
and understand that I am He“.
The discouraged need to know that love still lives. He says to the
deceived, “apart from Me there
is no Savior“. He stands
unmovable, “I have revealed and
saved and proclaimed…that I am God“.
He asks the skeptic, “When I
act, who can reverse it?” He
adds a promise about our past and the doubts that linger. They have
been defeated, “they lay there,
never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick“.
Are you still looking back? “Forget
the former things; do not dwell on the past… I am doing a new
thing!“
Are
you searching? God explains, “I
am making a way in the wilderness“.
He reminds us of our purpose, “the
people I formed for Myself that they may proclaim My praise“.
He calls out to the lonely, “Yet
you have not called on Me“.
The chapter ends with God pointing to Israel’s reaction. It seems
they did not respond in gratitude. “You
have not… honored Me with your sacrifices“.
Instead they rebelled, “But
you have burdened Me with your sins and wearied Me with your
offenses“. God reminds them
He alone restores, “I
am He who blots out your
transgressions, for My own sake, and remembers your sins no more“.
God allows us to choose forgiveness. “Your
first father sinned; those I sent to teach you rebelled against Me…
So I
disgraced the dignitaries of your temple; I consigned… Israel to
scorn.” This love story does
not end there. With all authority, Jesus spread His arms out wide
and said to you, “This is how much I love you” as He willingly
went to the cross. This is true love! “I
have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may
be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved
you” (John 15:11). God’s
love puts faith in action. Friend, will you trust His Love?