A Covenant of Grace
Yesterday, we discussed how the feeding of the five thousand showed us a picture of how God desires our relationship with Him to be. How perfect that Isaiah 55:8 popped up on my computer this morning. This section of Isaiah is a beautiful invitation for us to have the type of intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father that Jesus offered. Though this verse is part of the Old Testament and the story of Israel, it was not an invitation limited to the Jew. Isaiah wrote the invitation to “everyone who thirsts”. When Jesus sat on the hillside and preached his many lessons, he did not sort out the Jew from the Gentile. We have seen how he traveled to Gentile regions and made personal connections with the enemies of Israel. Jesus never intended for his message to be a national message of hope. He is the Messiah of the whole world.
His invitation extends to us all. His covenant, a covenant of grace, is for you, me, and for anyone who searches. I love how Matthew Henry broke down scripture. Of these verses, he wrote, “Seek for him, and enquire after him, as your portion and happiness; seek to be reconciled to him and acquainted with him, and to be happy in his favour. Be sorry that you have lost him; be solicitous to find him; take the appointed method of finding him, making use of Christ as your way, the Spirit as your guide, and the word as your rule" (Matthew Henry, 1996) God is our portion, our inheritance, our everything in this life. All that we need, we receive from Him.
It is important to always put this truth in context; however. We cannot separate verses 11-13 from verses 8 and 9. God promises us so much more than we could ever hope for, and He delivers on that promise every day. He promises us that His word never returns void. What He commands will happen. His promises are steadfast and definite. However, He reminds us that His thoughts are not the same as ours. His ways are not limited by our imaginations. As we seek after Him for everything, let us remember that He knows the best way. It may not come in the way we plan. It may not be an easy road from here to there, but His ways are always perfect. Let us “take the appointed method of finding him, making use of Christ as your way, the Spirit as your guide, and the word as your rule.” To do this, we must set aside our way, our ideas, and our desires. We must accept His will, and rejoice that it is not our own. Hold out till the end and accept that glorious portion as our prize. Then “you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace.”
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
Henry, M. (1 Mar, 1996). Commentary on Isaiah 55 by Matthew Henry. Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Isa/Isa_055.cfm
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