By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
TUESDAY
THEME: COMFORTED AND BLESSED
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 51:3
“For the Lord will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the Lord; Joy and gladness will be found in it.”
REFLECTIONS
God desires to visit us with His favor and restore the wasted grounds caused by our estrangement. By going our ways, we become desperate, destitute, wretched, poor, and famished in various realms of life. The absence of God in a person’s life is a terrible loss and deficiency. But should God be allowed into our lives, He comforts and restores – and grants a fulfilled life.
Because of His faithfulness, He keeps every covenant and promises He makes to His people. Once the recipient meets the conditions relating to His covenant or promise, He does not hesitate a second to fulfill His word. The good news is that when we have gone wayward and heeded His call to repent, we return to Him, and He comforts and restores us. In some instances, the consequences of our deeds may be irreversible, but He provides grace sufficient to enable us to see light beyond the darkness and gloom. When we get committed, He works something beautiful out of our mess to demonstrate He is the God of new beginnings.
The prophet says in Isaiah 51:3,12 – “[3]For the Lord will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the Lord; Joy and gladness will be found in it, Thanksgiving and the voice of melody. [12]“I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid Of a man who will die, And of the son of a man who will be made like grass?” The primary application of this text is a promise by God to Israel that He will save and deliver – comfort and restore them. Beyond Israel, this passage has a promise for all God’s people who come back from the wasted places of sin and have been severely bruised by the enemy. Sin causes us to lose so much physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. But God can comfort and restore us to great privileges and opportunities.
Focus more on what God wants to achieve for you if you walk with Him. Your wilderness and desert lands will begin to flourish with new trees that blossom with freshness. For your sadness, there will be joy and gladness. You can now sing a new song with your faith anchored in Christ. Be assured that God Himself will comfort you. He comforts you by standing by your side to help you, so what else should frighten or scare you? Verse 7 says, “Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, You people in whose heart is My law: Do not fear the reproach of men, Nor be afraid of their insults.” Verse 12 above is echoed by Hebrews 13:6, “So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Beloved, come to God; he will comfort and restore you.
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 491 – “In The Hour of Trial”
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for His comforting presence; thank God for the hope He gives you each day; pray to wait on His promises;
– Pray for family and friends who have detached themselves from God; pray for the repentant to have a new experience in Christ;
– Pray for individuals who are tormented and persecuted for their surrender to Christ; pray for people with addictions; pray for Christian youth to be models for their peers;
– Pray for the peace and well-being of our citizens; pray for countries that are going through violence; pray for the sick, the differently-abled persons, and ministers of the Gospel.
