“When I find myself racing around, trying to fill a day with mindless tasks or petty entertainment, this is usually the time that God whispers to my heart to draw away with Him and to silence my heart as He wishes to speak” (Katherine Walden).
Slow down your life as you trust, long, pray, feed, return and listen to God so you can live life rightly.
Trust God for Perfect Peace and Salvation
In the strong city, God set up walls for salvation. Open the gates that the righteous nation and faithful may enter. He keeps the steadfast mind in perfect peace who trust in God. Trust Him forever, an eternal rock, who humbles those who dwell on high with the feet of the oppressed and the poor (Is. 26:1-6). Trust in God as your anchor for perfect peace and salvation.
Long for God’s Name and Obey Heartily His Laws
God makes the path of the righteous is smooth. We wait for Him while walking in the way of His laws. God’s name and renown are the desire of our hearts. Our soul longs for You in the morning and night. People of the world learn righteousness when His judgments come upon the earth. The wicked do not learn righteousness or regard God’s majesty when grace is shown to them (Is. 26:7-10). Long for God’s majestic name and obey heartily His laws.
Allow God to Do His Works for Extension of His Glory
The wicked were shamed when they saw God’s zeal for His people. God established peace and accomplished all our works. We honor His name above any human that He brought to ruin. God increased and gained glory for Himself by extending the borders of the land. They could barely pray during His discipline as they sought Him in distress.They gave birth to wind and did not bring salvation to the earth. The dead will live and their bodies will rise to shout for joy. God will punish people for their sins (Is. 26:11-21). Allow God to do His works for the extension of His glory.
Pray and Feed on God’s Word for Protection from Spiritual Enemies
God punished with His sword and killed Leviathan, the serpent who lives in the sea. Sing about a fruitful vineyard that the Lord watered and guarded continually so no one could harm it. They relied on God’s protection and made peace with Him. Jacob took root and Israel blossomed to fill the whole world with fruit (Is. 27:1-6). Pray and feed on God’s word for protection from spiritual enemies.
Pray Against Idolatry and False Gods to Prepare for Corporate Worship of God
Prayer and spiritual warfare demolishes idolatry and false gods. Because cities were desolate and its people had no understanding, their Creator would not show compassion and grace to them. The Lord would thresh from the Euphrates to the brook of Egypt. He blew a great trumpet to gather the exiles from Assyria and Egypt to worship the Lord in the holy mountain of Jerusalem (Is. 27:7-13). Pray against idolatry and false gods to prepare for corporate worship of God.
Return to God as Source of Strength for Stability and Discernment
Woe to the fading beauty in Ephraim at the head of a fertile valley caused by pride and drunkedness. God judged them with a hailstorm, destructive wind and flooding. In that day, the Lord Almighty would be a glorious crown, beautiful wreath, spirit of justice and source of strength for the remnant of His people who return to God. Wine caused confusion and stumbling among the priests and prophets (Is. 28:1-8). Return to God as source of strength for internal stability and discernment.
Trust in Christ as Precious Cornerstone for Rest, Justice, Righteousness and Truth
God taught and explained His knowledge to those weaned from milk. He told Israel through foreign lips and strange lips to give rest to the weary. Because of not listening, they would be broken, snared and taken captive. God spoke to scoffers ruling in Jerusalem that their covenant with evil enabled lies and falsehood to became their refuge. God laid a tested and precious cornerstone in Zion as a sure foundation so anyone who trusts in it would not be in a hurry. He made justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line so hail would sweep away lies and end their covenant with death and evil. Stop mocking or chains would become heavier since the Lord Almighty told Isaiah of destruction decreed against the land (Is. 28:9-22). Trust in Christ as tested and precious cornerstone for rest, justice, righteousness and truth.
Listen to God’s Word for Wisdom and Counsel in Right Living
A farmer does not plow continually to break up the soil. After leveling the surface, he sows caraway, scatters cummin and plants wheat, barley and spelt in the proper places. God instructs and teaches him the right way. Caraway is not threshed with a sledge nor a cartwheel rolled over cummin. You beat caraway with a rod, cummin with a stick and ground grain to make bread but not thresh it forever. He drives the wheels of his threshing cart over it but his horses do not grind it. The Lord makes His counsel wonderful and His wisdom great (Is. 28:23-29). Listen to God’s word for wisdom and counsel in right living.
Review the underlined summaries to draw near to God, His word and Christ, the cornerstone, so you can live rightly.
