Gloriously NEW

Isaiah 52:1-56:8

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the LORD, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” Isaiah 55:10-13

The Word of the Day today is so filled with amazing things to talk about I can hardly stand it. But the only thing I can talk about today is the rain. (So you’ll just have to read the Word of the Day on your own.)

There has been such an amazing absence of rain this year! When spring came I was so excited to hear the thunder roll and the pounding of the rain on our roof. And we’ve gone most of the summer with hardly a storm at all. Yet this morning I awoke to that glorious sound of the soft rain running down the shingles above and I smiled. I lay there with my head snuggled on my pillow soaking in that glorious sound of the rain falling mingling with the sound of my husband’s steady heavy breath mixed with a background note of the distant thunder. It was the Holy Spirit calling my name, awakening my ear to life, beaconing to join the song of creation.

The world always looks so different after the rain. Everything that has gathered dust is washed clean and is shiny.

The grass is ALWAYS greener after the rain. And it seems instantaneous. It’s nothing short of a miracle.

“O God, when You lead Your people into battle, when You march through the desert, (Selah) the earth shakes, yes, the heavens pour down rain before God, the God of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. O God, You cause abundant showers to fall on Your chosen people. When they are tired, You sustain them, for You live among them.” (Psalm 68:7-10a)

Like diamonds shining through the darkness of night the rain glistens on the thirsty earth; the same earth from which we were created. His showers of goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives. He anoints our heads with oil and our cups will overflow, even in the presence of our enemies.

The thunder may be rolling, the lighting may be flashing but the water is collecting in refreshing pools and soaking into a thirsty soul nourishing it along the way, making it fresh and clean and new; radiant in every way.

“This is like the days of Noah to Me; as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but My steadfast love shall not depart from you, and My covenant of peace shall not be removed,” Isaiah 54:9-10