Gamechanger: Comfort My People
One Year Bible (Sep. 22)
Isaiah 39:1-41:16
Game Changer: Comfort My People
It was my last night of summer vacation and we were savoring the last moments and tastes of summer. Our family was enjoying one of our favorite dinners at a restaurant that features sports channels on every TV surrounding us. My husband, a former baseball player, just loves the Little League baseball World Series. We were watching the games when something so unusual happened…
A pitch struck Tulsa hitter, Isaiah Jarvis on the ear flap of his temple and he went down! All these teams had cared about was getting to Williamsport to make their town and team proud, but now this! In the very first inning of the Southwest Region Championship, Isaiah was down, the crowd was holding their breath, his mother was holding her chest, and the pitcher, Shelton was badly shaken!
The moment that followed will undoubtedly live on in sports history. You can see replays of it on every channel and read numerous sports articles about what came next…
Isaiah made it back up and was walked to first base. He looked up and saw the pitcher standing on the base crying, but no one was moving toward him. Isaiah called time out and hustled on over to the pitcher to hug him and offer words of comfort. They say that his words were, “Hey, you’re doing just great.”
The sportscasters are calling this, “The Greatest Moment in the history of sportsmanship”. This youth taught the entire world a lesson about comfort and encouragement and that lesson will go down in sports history.
I always write ahead in the One Year Bible Study and I “happened” to be writing at this spot in the Bible. I say “happened” becomes we serve a God who makes things “happen”. Often times He just says, “Look Up” because he has an important lesson for us to learn.
Here is what I learned… They are quoting a verse in the Bible related to Isaiah’s finest moment and the verse they are quoting is found in Isaiah 46: 4b, “I have made you; I will sustain you, and I will rescue you.”
Why am I surprised? That is what is so amazing about our God. He has the ability to lift our eyes and see HIS hand of mercy and grace in everyday life.
Today’s passage is the transition from “The Judgment of God” to “The Comfort of God” and God is reminding HIS children that HE brings MERCY and HOPE.
He asks Isaiah, “Comfort my people!”
Just ask Shelton, the pitcher. There is no better feeling than to be comforted and given mercy. That is what God does for his people who did not cause duress by accident but by intent and choice.
There is an amazing passage in today’s reading that has been quoted in the New Testament. It is found in Isaiah 40:3-5 and three gospels relate this passage to the ministry of John the Baptist.
(Mt. 3:3, Mark 1:3, and Luke 3:3-6)
A voice of one calling, “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a HIGHWAY for our God. Every valley shall be raised up…” (40:3)
“Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and ALL people will see it together. The LORD has spoken! (40:5)
Who will see this revealing of salvation… a way prepared in the desert?
ALL PEOPLE…” For God so loved the WORLD, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOEVER believes in HIM should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
This is a GAME CHANGER!
Rescue. Redemption. Restoration will now be for more than just the Jewish people. God, HIMSELF will make a way for ALL men!
Speaking of games, we all feel compassion when we hear of the pitcher on the mound who was broken and crying. He never wanted to hurt the batter. That was never his intent and our heart goes out to the amazing comfort given to him by the batter, Isaiah Jarvis.
But, God is walking to the mound and HE is putting HIS arms around those who intentionally time and time threw “curve balls” at HIM, on purpose. His grace knows no bounds in the love for his fallen people.
Today’s passage is the “Gamechanger” in the book of Isaiah… So, God tells Isaiah, “‘Comfort My People”.
