Everlasting Kindness

Awake, awake! Stand up, O Jerusalem,
You who have drunk at the hand of the LORD
The cup of His fury ...
These two things have come to you ...
Desolation and destruction, famine and sword ...
The rebuke of your God.
Isaiah 51:17-20 (NKJV)

"For a mere moment I have forsaken you,
But with great mercies I will gather you.
With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment;
But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,"
Says the LORD, your Redeemer.
Isaiah 54:7-8 (NKJV)

In Isaiah 51 God rebuked Jerusalem by the prophet for the last time. In Isaiah 52-53 lay prophecies of atonement through Messiah. Now all has changed. The rest of Isaiah's prophecy contains condemnation only for other nations. To His people God will speak only everlasting kindness.

Such is the effect of Calvary. We measure time BC and AD. Even the politically correct who use BCE and CE are compelled to speak of all history in terms of whether it occurred before or after the time of Jesus Christ.

All my history is likewise defined as before I trusted Jesus—a time of turmoil and distress, when peace eluded me regardless of where I sought it—or when I surrendered myself to Him, was born again into everlasting life, and began to grow in the knowledge of everlasting kindness.

Such is the power of the cross.

Wonderful, merciful Savior, precious Redeemer and Friend, You make me whole. You are, indeed, all I need. This life's greatest blessing is nothing compared to the indescribable privilege of knowing You and Your everlasting kindness. Let me never neglect so great a salvation.

"When you believe He's all you need, that will be your defining moment." ~ Newsong *

Feedback invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy

*(Defining Moment © 2000 Sony-ATV Songs / Lowery Music / BMI / WB Music Corp.)