#DailyDevotion The Lord Will Gather His People
Isa 43:4-7 Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. (5) Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. (6) I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, (7) everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
For the sake of Abraham, Israel was precious in his eyes. He still loved them in the midst of their rebellion and sin. But that does not mean they had full reign to do whatever or be licentious. Indeed, even as Isaiah speaks the word of the Lord, the Assyrians are barreling down from the north with God’s wrath and destruction. They are going to carry the Israelites off to distant lands never to be seen again.
Yet God will not leave Abraham without children. God can raise up children for Abraham from the rocks if he needs to. And from the rocks the Lord does raise up children for Abraham. From hearts of stone in Gentiles throughout the world, the Lord converts the children of men and makes them children of Abraham. He circumcises their hearts with the good news of Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sins in his name.
So to all of us children of Abraham, Israel’s adopted sons and those born Jews whom the Lord had placed the name of Jesus upon, he tells us to fear not for he is with us. He has given us his Holy Spirit to reside in our hearts. He has promised whenever we gather in his name he is with us. He has promised he will never leave us or forsake us. All of these promises are true. We can be brave and face life and all it has to throw at us because the presence of the Lord is with us as we bear his holy name.
On the Last Day as he has promised here, Jesus will gather us from the east and the west, the north and the south. With great rejoicing he will gather everyone who is called by his name i.e. Christians, those who trusted in him even in name. We shall be gathered to inhabit the new heavens and the new earth. For we who have had the name of Christ placed upon our foreheads and our hearts and trust in him will receive the rewards promised to all who trust in him.
He had formed and made us. He has created us for his glory. Jesus is our God and we are his people. As his people he makes us holy, gives us his glory, his righteousness, his wisdom and knowledge and his dominion. Heavenly Father, continue to gather together your people throughout the world by the gospel of your Son Jesus Christ, that Abraham our father may have many descendents from all nations and the Christ Jesus may receive the glory due his name. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.