Isaiah chapter 40 offers a beautiful and powerful picture of God’s character and attributes, which I’ll read for us this morning as we ask the Lord to call our hearts and minds to worship.
In this chapter, we see the Lord telling Isaiah to go up on the high mountain and cry out the good news. Isaiah responds by asking, “what shall I cry?” And the Lord responds with this message:
“Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.”
(Isaiah 40:10-11 ESV)
Isn’t that beautiful? God comes to his people with the full strength of his mighty arm. And what does he do with that arm? He rewards. He makes right what is wrong. He gathers his people up and tends to them like a shepherd to his sheep.
I hope that’s encouraging to you. I hope that inspires worship in your heart. I’ve spoken to several this week that are distraught and anxious for the injustices they see all about us, for the division that exists within the Church, and for the hostility that exists among our neighbors.
I pray that our time together today in song, in word, and in prayer will help us to fix our hope on the Lord God Almighty, who is coming with power to do justice, to show mercy, and to gather his people to himself.
Let’s stand and praise him for these things.