5 "And now, saith the Lord—that formed me from the womb that I should be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him—though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength."
When I read this verse I thought about all those days spent trying to help the kids at the Detention Center. Many many of which I wondered if our efforts were accomplishing any thing. This verse seems to say that even if your efforts don't accomplish what you set out to do, just the fact that you made the effort is pleasing to God. Of course, God is the strength of the effort and that does amount to something. Jacob is being brought again to the truth - even at the Detention Center.
10 "They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them; for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them."
25 "But thus saith the Lord, even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children."
Just a few of the great promises held in this wonderful chapter. I grew up in an era when the threat of disaster was used as a whipping stick. Every few months our youth leaders would trot out someone to scare us into submission with scary predictions of the second coming. How, much more motivating, would a careful reading of this chapter of Isaiah have been. How, blessed we'd have been to have been taught that God is on our side, that He will go to any lengths to rescue, defend, care for and redeem us.
How comforting it would have been taught that He would never give up on us nor forget or abandon us.
15 "For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel."
16 "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me."
It comforts me greatly now and the burden of my service these days, is to pass that message on to others, who likewise need to know that, as lost as we may be, there is always one who won't give up on us, who is determined to rescue us.
2 comments:
Not many years ago the "Prodigal Son" became my favorite parable. 1Nephi 21 reminds me why I cherish that parable so much.
I love being a mother...for so many many many many many many many reasons. In a small way I get it!! I get Heavenly Father. (It has to do with one eternal round.)
15 For can a a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.
16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
Last month's Visiting Teaching message was incredible (Nuture the Rising Generation) and included a quote from President Gordon B. Hinckley that ties into this chapter well, I think. :)
“Never forget that these little ones are the sons and daughters of God and that yours is a custodial relationship to them, that He was a parent before you were parents and that He has not relinquished His parental rights or interest in these His little ones. … Rear your children in love, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Take care of your little ones. Welcome them into your homes, and nurture and love them with all of your hearts. They may do, in the years that come, some things you would not want them to do, but be patient, be patient. You have not failed as long as you have tried” (“Words of the Living Prophet,” Liahona, May 1998, 26–27; “Excerpts from Recent Addresses of President Gordon B. Hinckley,” Ensign, July 1997, 73).
"...for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children."
The painting you have used for this chapter is one of my favorites -- especially because the little girl looks exactly (in build and hair color) like my third daughter and the baby looks like her baby brother -- at the time when they were both about the ages of the children in the painting. Thus, this painting is allegorical to me in that Christ is literally carrying and leading two of my children to a place that is higher than they are.
I also think of Christ as the "rod" in the Tree of Life Vision, so --when I see this painting in which he carries one child and extends his hand to another, I see that as they (and we) hold on to Christ, we will eventually also reach that higher place.
I have the largest print possible of this painting and it hangs in the foyer of my home so I can constantly be reminded of both Christ and of his relationship to us and to our salvation and exaltation.
Now this painting will also remind me of the fact that they (and we) were Heavenly Father's children (and Christ's siblings) milenia before wwe belonged to eachother here on earth.
It is good to know that more perfect parents and siblings are on our side in this great conflict.
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