Power And Care
READ: Isaiah 40:9-11 9Jerusalem, go up on a high mountain and proclaim the good news! Call out with a loud voice, Zion; announce the good news! Speak out and do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah that their God is coming! 10 The Sovereign Lord is coming to rule with power, bringing with him the people he has rescued. 11 He will take care of his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs together and carry them in his arms; he will gently lead their mothers.
POWER AND CARE We read part of God’s good news for his people yesterday and we’re looking at more of it today. God is reaching out to his people. The time in Babylon is coming to an end. He’s preparing them to return to Jerusalem. Today’s passage highlights God’s relationship with his people. He’s not just some aloof, distant dictator. He’s personally invested and involved in his people’s lives. He constantly shows his power and his care. With his power, he will rescue his people. He will also care for them like a shepherd cares for his sheep and a mother cares for her children. God came and orchestrated their deliverance from Babylon. About 500 years later, God sent Jesus, a perfect shepherd, to care for his people. He welcomed the little children in his arms and healed the sick. As his time on earth was ending, Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep” (John 10:10). He cared for us, his sheep, so much that he was crucified so that we could experience his presence, care and love now and for eternity.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank you for your power over the enemy and your care for your people. Even though they walked away from you, their discipline did not last forever. You reached out to them and showed your power and care for them and brought them back home. Thank you for being a shepherd to them and sending Jesus to be the great shepherd for us. Amen.
DIG DEEPER: Describe a difficult time when you sensed God leading you through. Even though it wasn’t over, how did it feel to know that God was with you and it would end soon?