God's Compassion

The grace God extends to us is abundant and extravagant. We could never merit such grace and would probably never extend it ourselves, if we could.

God's Compassion

This week's devotions are written by my friend Jessica Hermann, former director of our college ministry at Great Hills Baptist Church.

- Pastor Danny

Our journey through Isaiah 55 this week has been so encouraging to me as I've read the chapter over and over. I love seeing God's faithfulness as we learn about His plan for salvation through Jesus Christ the Messiah all the way back in Isaiah. God's plan of salvation is not an afterthought. He didn't call a brainstorming session when a problem arose and then workshop a back up plan. Our all-knowing, all-powerful God has always had a perfect plan. Today we will continue through the chapter, picking up in verses 8-11.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."

I've heard this passage so many times as a standalone verse quoted and paraphrased in various situations. "Well you know, 'His ways are not our ways,'" they would say. I've heard it applied to countless situations. Now, I am not necessarily saying that all of these situations take it out of context to a point where what they are saying isn't true. However, it is interesting to see how the text reads in its context to understand the point that the words are trying to get across to us.

There are many ways that we are like God. We are made in His image, after all. However, He is still God and we are not, so there are many ways that He is not like us. This passage emphasizes that reality. However, go back and read this passage in its context, with the rest of the chapter that precedes these verses included. When verse 8 begins with the word "For", that should remind us that this "For" is referring to whatever was just said beforehand. Just before these verses, we read about God's plan for redemption and forgiveness through a free gift of salvation for all who would seek it through Jesus.

In verse 7, we read yesterday how the Lord invites us to repent and turn to Him so that "he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." This abundant pardon means abundant grace. This kind of grace is probably not what you or I would have thought of. We probably wouldn't think it fair, or perhaps we would think it too forgiving. This is complete forgiveness for the guilty party because the penalty has been served by the only innocent party. This is not what mankind would have thought of if we were in that workshop meeting to come up with a plan after man sinned. Only God, who is perfectly just and perfectly loving, could conceive such a plan and carry it out Himself through Christ, who is the Lord.

The passage continues through this visual example of how rain doesn't fall for the sole purpose of just evaporating again. It serves a purpose when it falls, namely, bringing life and resources to the Earth. Similarly, the Word of God hasn't gone out just to be put into a book. It has a grand purpose: to reveal God to mankind, that they may be saved!

I've often heard this verse applied to mean something like, "As long as the Word of God is physically spoken aloud, something great will happen, and our ministry is effective because God's Word does not return void." I don't think this is exactly what this means. Rather, this passage paints the picture of the faithfulness of God through His Word. His Word is powerful and trustworthy and will always accomplish its purpose. Everything that the Lord reveals through His Word serves a purpose, and He will fulfill that purpose through it. Nothing in His Word is meaningless or frivolous. Again, considering what is said in the preceding verses brings this connection that God's plan of salvation is revealed through His Word and the person of Jesus Christ. It will be effective in accomplishing its purpose: the establishment of God's Kingdom and His Church! Thanks be to God that if you are a Christian, you are a part of that.