Isaiah 50:4a,11

Isaiah 50 is another ‘Servant Song’ about the Messiah. It focuses on the relationship between the Servant and God, how the Servant is ever-reliant on God for help and wisdom. It tells of how the Servant’s obedience to God led Him to forgive those who hurt Him, but also how His trust in God ensured that He would not be disgraced (vs. 7), and that His adversaries could do nothing to Him. He also tells of His redeeming power, for those who rely on God like He does (vs. 10), and verse 11:

‘Look, all you who kindle a fire,
Who encircle yourselves with sparks:
Walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled –
This you shall have from My hand:
You shall lie down in torment.’ (Isaiah 50:11)

He makes it clear that man’s own efforts are never going to get him there. The Servant doesn’t redeem those who think they can ‘light their own fire’ as it were.

But the words that struck me most (and these weren’t the main message of the passage, just one example of the overall message – that the Servant was fully reliant on God) were in verse 4:

‘The Lord GOD has given Me
The tongue of the learned,
That I should know how to speak
A word in season to him who is weary.’ (Isaiah 50:4a)

I don’t know how many of you have experienced the warmth a ‘word in season’ brings when from a friend. Probably all of you. There are always times in life when we are down and out. Even the happiest people have these times. They are an inherent part of life, an essential flavour if you like. Often the difference between an extremely bad time and a passable time is how others treat us during that time. I am fortunate to have many awesome, caring friends and family. And it shows in times like that.

A ‘word in season’. The right thing said at the right time. Notice that it doesn’t say ‘That I should know how to speak a word to him who is weary’. It says ‘a word in season’. That word needn’t be overly kind on face value. It could be harsh, to the point, blunt, or kind, encouraging, gentle and sympathetic. But in either case it is loving. It is the right word. At the right time. To the right person.

I think we should all be people who seek to be able to give ‘a word in season’ to our friends and loved ones, to help them out when they are weary. Likewise, we should seek friends who are able to give that to us.

But notice the source of the Servant’s gift of ‘the tongue of the learned.’ He says unequivocally that the Lord GOD gave it to Him. And so let us seek it from the Lord, that we also should have the tongue of the learned that we may speak a word in season to those who are weary. But let us also praise God for the beauty of Jesus’ words to us in the Bible, and the encouragement we gain when we ourselves are weary.

Isaiah 35:3

Isaiah 35 is quite confusing, but seems to speak of a future Israel, or more specifically Zion, where God will restore it, making streams in the desert and making it blossom abundantly.

However, the thought for today that I have found is in verse 3.

‘Strengthen the weak hands,
And make firm the feeble knees.’ (Isaiah 35:3)

This verse is used in Hebrews 12:12 as an exhortation to strengthen those in persecution, however here it is used primarily of Israel and its role in the future kingdom I which it will be restored.

But let us think right now of any Christians we know right now that might be weak. It may be through persecution, sickness, temptation and sin, or any other cause imaginable. We may know someone who is a Christian but has just gone off the rails a bit. We may know a Christian who can’ bring himself any longer to share the Good News because he has been ridiculed so many times. Our duty and responsibility as Christians is to strengthen them, and make them firm. That may be encouraging them in their ways, or showing them the error of their ways, giving them advice, supporting them emotionally, physically or financially. But let us not be lazy or indifferent to this responsibility. It is one that is needed just as much as any other of our responsibilities.

You’ll be surprised if you only try, how much you can help someone if you truly care.

Pleasant Words

I love this verse and it is oh so true: Proverbs 16:24 :

24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

At first you read it and go yeah yeah I know - it sorta sounds like one of those mushy type of sayings. But it is very true because when you are down or need someone to talk to God will always provide someone and their 'pleasant words' really are health to the bones. They give you real physical health, make you stronger, make you feel better. Pleasant words really are like a honeycomb. Also verse 16 of the same chapter:

16 How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

Solomon of course had personal experience of this so it was obviously very important to him that others get this message. I suppose in some sort of way you can link this with the previous verse because receiving understanding from a person, or hearing their wisdom, is much better than getting money (COLD hard cash) because it is sweet for the soul and good for the health. I suppose all of this sounds very obvious and in a way it is but it is also very deep and true and hits you hard at certain times.