“Do not remember the former things nor consider the things of old. See, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not be aware of it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” (Is. 43:18-19).
Just as God has the ability to judge evil and destroy it, He has the ability to restore what has been devastated. He brings hope and revival to the wastelands of our lives. Prophetically speaking of Jesus, Isaiah later went on to write:
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me [Jesus] to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound … to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit (Is. 61:1-3).
This is our God! Supremely strong, flawlessly pure, relentlessly loving. Surely, as the Psalmist once wrote, we can “trust in Him at all times; you people, pour out your heart before Him; God is a shelter for us. Selah” (Ps. 62:8).
As we wrestle with this unconscionable act of violence, let’s anchor ourselves in the God of justice, the God of compassion, and the God of restoration. To any dear readers who have lost loved ones in Orlando, there are no words to express our sorrow. We love you, we mourn with you, and as a body of believers, we pray for you. {eoa}
Reprinted from Revive Our Hearts: True Woman. A student pastor’s wife and mom to three little girls, Jeanne Harrison blogs about finding contentment in the lot God has given us—be it beautiful, painful, or at times downright disgusting! Recently she published her first book, Loving My Lot: A Young Mom’s Journey to Contentment.
