Trust In God Series

Text: Isaiah 26:1-4

Theme: Trust in the Lord

Introduction:

The Lord is good; His love endures forever. God willing, we will meditate on the theme, HOPE AMIDST DESPAIR, throughout August. Almost all of us are going through tough situations, hopelessness despite resources and people around us. Our ordinary life is disturbed and more pressure mounted upon all of us. All sectors of life challenge us to cope up. The Lord brings us, hope, amidst Despair. For meditation of this day, the revelation has come from Isaiah 26:1-5 to TRUST in the LORD. From this text, let me share with you four spiritual lessons: Spiritual Song, Strong City, stable faith and steadfast mind.

26:1 Spiritual Song

The spiritual songs have sung with experience and reality. Songs are not composed just with tunes and attractions. Songs are expressions of our emotions and devotions to God. They are languages of our gratitude to God. Few songs are dear to our soul and heart because they reflect and demonstrate our selves through the stanzas. Music is secondary to devotion. If God can accept only the talented singers singing, then there is no congregational singing. God honoured through congregational singing during the exodus community, during the time of David and Solomon, in eternity the heaven would fill with songs. Jesus sang with his disciples after the last supper.

The song is to celebrate God’s victory over sin and injustice, of Bad City, the City of chaos (Isa 24:10), and though they had fortified cities, had luxuries of the palace, better, the castle of the profane, insolent, or irreverent (Isa 25:2,) it refers to the fortress of Moab (Isa 25:11-12). This singing contrasts with the mourning and lack of joy resulted from the judgement of God (Isa 24:7-9; 25:5), turned their merriment to cries (Isa 24:12). But the sorrow will turn into joy. People of Israel has sung this song, both in repentance, and return to the Lord for perfect peace. The people of Judah had abandoned the way of faith in God for dependence on foreign powers, on collective strength in each other, and self-reliance. So they lost their political and personal peace. Perfect peace only found in relying on God.

26:1 Strong City

The nomadic people had only tents as their shelter. The moving tents had turned into shelters with buildings. But, if buildings have built on the Rocky ground or the top of the hills, could become well-built cities. People of ancient times lived in cities. Here the prophet expresses the confidence in the Strong City. Today, we have bombarded with statistics of the world-class cities are being infected with deadly pestilence. There is a fear of entry, and exit to the cities have increased the Cities are closed. Cities live with cries of death. Hopelessness has seen around everywhere. Despite these circumstances, we have a strong city.

The Strong City is nothing but Christ, the Words of Christ (Matthew 7:24-25). Psalm 18:2 - The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my shield, my horn and my stronghold (Deuteronomy 32:4), He is our sure foundation (Isaiah 28:16, 1 Corinthians 3:11). Jesus is our firm foundation (1 Timothy 6:19). He is our solid foundation (2 Timothy 2:19). Jesus promised Peter you are rock so, I will build my church upon you nothing shall prevail against you, and the gates of hell cannot overcome (Matthew 16:18).

Jesus is the rock and arms me with his strength, and he makes my feet like the feet of deer, trains my hands for a battle. He sustains me (Psalm 18:31-36). The City of God flows with rivers of streams. God is within her, and she will not fall (Psalm 46:4-5, 87:3). City of the great King (Psalm 48:2) City of truth (Zechariah 8:3). It was a Jebusite city became a holy city (Nehemiah 1:1, Daniel 9:16). God can change our desolate dwelling into a Strong City, and he can cleanse our hearts and make it a healthy, wealthy as the Strong City of God. The robbers' dens have converted into the place of worship and prayer. The architect and builder of our faith home are God (Hebrews 11:10). He is our everlasting strength, not he has, but he is.

26:2 Stable Faith

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1). Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). God looks for the unwavering and stable faith. The best example is Abraham: He hoped against all hope. Abram faced the fact that he had dead cells, and Sarah had a dead womb. He had hope without weakening his faith. Abram did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God. He has strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what he had promised. (Romans 4:18-21). Caleb and Joshua said: If God has pleased with us, he will lead us into the land of milk and honey (Numbers 14:8). David says some trust in Chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the Lord our God, so we rise and stand firm (Psalm 20:7). Even though I walk through the valley of death, I fear no evil (Psalm 23:4). Though an army besieges me, and though a war breaks out against me, even then, I will be confident in God (Psalm 27:3). Though the earth gives way, though the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, I will be confident in God because he is my refuge (Psalm 46:2-3).