Comfort

And in that day you will say:
"O LORD, I will praise You;
Though You were angry with me,
Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me.
Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
'For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.' "
Therefore with joy you will draw water
From the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 12:1-3 (NKJV)

"Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him."
Job 13:15 (NIV)

God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NRSV)

Isaiah's prophecies described sin, called for repentance, and foretold destruction—a recipe sure to make both hearer and messenger feel bad. Yet the God who loved both His prophet and His people interspersed such unwelcome messages with frequent words of comfort.

The Lord still speaks difficult things. Is it just me, or is one of the surest indicators of a message being from God that it compels me to do what stretches me UNcomfortably, prompts me to forego one of my pet comforts, or presents a test, trial or temptation beyond my human strength?

Isaiah's psalm of praise and comfort appears in the dark hour of northern Israel's defeat by the horrifically cruel Assyrians. It is a reminder of the good things to follow, the cloud's silver lining, the light at the end of the tunnel. It is a reminder that YAH is strength and song and salvation.

I praise You my God that You are my Strength. I praise You my God that You are the Song ever in my heart. I praise You my God that You are my Salvation in every test, trial and temptation. I praise You my God that Your love always has words of comfort waiting for me.

Feedback invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2008, Anne Lang Bundy