See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19
How many times did you hear growing up that children should be “seen and not heard”? There were too many times for me to count. I can’t think of my childhood, though, without thinking of my two brothers. Logan, the older one, was born less than two years after I was. We were close growing up, not just in age, but in interests, particularly as we became teens.
In 2009, Logan suffered a massive heart attack and immediately passed away. Only in his forties, his death was a horrible shock to me, to our family, and to his wife and children. There was no chance to say good-bye. One day I was talking to him on the phone and the next week, I was attending his memorial service.
Many times, I have felt as if I were wandering around in the barren desert, parched and dry. Like the Israelites who camped out in the wilderness for forty years, I can relate to at least some of their despair.
In our key verse, Isaiah 43:19, God speaks through the prophet Isaiah with imagery from that desert trek Moses and the Israelites endured so many years before. God tells the Israelites to forget the past, even the miraculous deliverance from Egypt when God parted the Red Sea, because He is doing something even more incredible. This text is a prophecy of the coming Messiah, Jesus, who would be the salvation to all, to the Jews and to the Gentiles, to all who believed. The imagery of a way made in the wilderness suggests that Christ will be the way for lost people in the world’s wilderness, particularly for God to include the Gentiles in His plan for salvation. Streams flowing in the desert signifies not only God’s provision but also the many blessings found in Christ. Like a river overflowing, life with Christ is an abundant one, overflowing with God’s love and care.
As Logan’s birthday rolled around this year, I realized a heavy sadness had settled in my soul. Grief will do that, catching us unaware even when we think we’ve been down this road before. As I began my time with the Lord that morning, God spoke to me through an online devotional on hope through grief, one written and posted for that day. At the risk of sounding super-spiritual (I’m not!), as I opened two different devotional books, both the entries for that day spoke on God changing mourning into dancing (Psalm 30:11-12) and God making all things new in Isaiah 43:19. I was overcome with the feeling that God deliberately spoke to me that day, not once, but three times.
I’m still not sure why this birthday of Logan’s hit me harder than some of the previous ones, but I do know that God is a God who sees and hears all who call on Him, particularly when they find themselves in the desert or wandering through the wilderness. We have hope because God is making all things new in all ways. God sees our tears. He hears our cries. He came to make a new way for us, one of hope, not despair. Flowing like a stream in the desert, Jesus’ offer of living water (John 4:13-14) totally quenches our thirst like nothing else can, giving us the abundant and everlasting life. As God’s children, we are not just “seen and not heard”. He sees us and He hears us. His love never fails. Thanks be to God.
Thank You, Jesus, for pouring Yourself out as an offering in order to offer us the spiritually abundant life now and eternal life for always. I praise You and thank You for seeing me, hearing me, and loving me, no matter what the circumstances surrounding me. Amen.
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
Text and photograph copyright © 2018 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Marble Canyon, British Columbia, Canada.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
How many times did you hear growing up that children should be “seen and not heard”? There were too many times for me to count. I can’t think of my childhood, though, without thinking of my two brothers. Logan, the older one, was born less than two years after I was. We were close growing up, not just in age, but in interests, particularly as we became teens.
In 2009, Logan suffered a massive heart attack and immediately passed away. Only in his forties, his death was a horrible shock to me, to our family, and to his wife and children. There was no chance to say good-bye. One day I was talking to him on the phone and the next week, I was attending his memorial service.
Many times, I have felt as if I were wandering around in the barren desert, parched and dry. Like the Israelites who camped out in the wilderness for forty years, I can relate to at least some of their despair.
In our key verse, Isaiah 43:19, God speaks through the prophet Isaiah with imagery from that desert trek Moses and the Israelites endured so many years before. God tells the Israelites to forget the past, even the miraculous deliverance from Egypt when God parted the Red Sea, because He is doing something even more incredible. This text is a prophecy of the coming Messiah, Jesus, who would be the salvation to all, to the Jews and to the Gentiles, to all who believed. The imagery of a way made in the wilderness suggests that Christ will be the way for lost people in the world’s wilderness, particularly for God to include the Gentiles in His plan for salvation. Streams flowing in the desert signifies not only God’s provision but also the many blessings found in Christ. Like a river overflowing, life with Christ is an abundant one, overflowing with God’s love and care.
As Logan’s birthday rolled around this year, I realized a heavy sadness had settled in my soul. Grief will do that, catching us unaware even when we think we’ve been down this road before. As I began my time with the Lord that morning, God spoke to me through an online devotional on hope through grief, one written and posted for that day. At the risk of sounding super-spiritual (I’m not!), as I opened two different devotional books, both the entries for that day spoke on God changing mourning into dancing (Psalm 30:11-12) and God making all things new in Isaiah 43:19. I was overcome with the feeling that God deliberately spoke to me that day, not once, but three times.
I’m still not sure why this birthday of Logan’s hit me harder than some of the previous ones, but I do know that God is a God who sees and hears all who call on Him, particularly when they find themselves in the desert or wandering through the wilderness. We have hope because God is making all things new in all ways. God sees our tears. He hears our cries. He came to make a new way for us, one of hope, not despair. Flowing like a stream in the desert, Jesus’ offer of living water (John 4:13-14) totally quenches our thirst like nothing else can, giving us the abundant and everlasting life. As God’s children, we are not just “seen and not heard”. He sees us and He hears us. His love never fails. Thanks be to God.
Thank You, Jesus, for pouring Yourself out as an offering in order to offer us the spiritually abundant life now and eternal life for always. I praise You and thank You for seeing me, hearing me, and loving me, no matter what the circumstances surrounding me. Amen.
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
Text and photograph copyright © 2018 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Marble Canyon, British Columbia, Canada.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
RSS Feed