19 O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will most certainly be gracious to you at the sound of your cry for help; when He hears it, He will answer you. 20 Though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of oppression, yet your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will [constantly] see your Teacher. 21 Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” Isaiah 30:19-21
The spoken word of God found in this passage, is a powerful reminder that God not only hears our cry but He provides the way for us to walk with Him.
We are tossed about like ships on monstrous waves due to the stories that are filling out our television screens.
And then I read this passage – one that I came across quite accidentally and I am immediately assured that God is with me.
This verse can be adapted to any situation you are facing in life. What if you are an adult child of an elderly parent and you are making decisions every day for their care. You are not sure if to turn left or to turn right and you come across these bible verses.
Or you are a husband or wife helping in the care of your husband or wife. This was not what you envisioned when you thought of your later years in life. You thought of a life of travel to see family and friends and to visit foreign and local places. You thought of sailing on the high seas dancing the night away cheek to cheek.
I think of parents dealing with the devastating illness of a child; where that once active child is now dependent on you.
Or, you have simply lost your way.
And you question
Is God seeing my pain?
The passage from Isaiah shows up in our lectionary for the feast day of St Philip and St. James which was observed on May 1, 2021. From Holy Women, Holy Men;
“The two apostles commemorated on this day are among those about whom little is known, except for their mention in the Gospels. James the Less is so called to distinguish him from James the son of Zebedee and from James “the brother of the Lord,” or perhaps to indicate youth or lack of stature. He is known to us from the list of the Twelve, where he is called James the son of Alpheus.
Philip figures in several important incidents in Jesus’ ministry as reported in John’s Gospel. There we read that Jesus called Philip soon after calling Andrew and Peter. Philip, in turn, found his friend Nathanael, and convinced him to come and see Jesus, the Messiah. Later, when Jesus saw the hungry crowd, he asked Philip, “How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”
Although little is told to us about these two apostles, they will spend their lives spreading the word of the Gospel and losing their lives for their witness.
To me, this emphasizes that we each have a path to walk. A path on which we hear the voice of God behind us saying, “ This is the way, walk in it.”
Be Blessed! Be safe!
Enjoy Mat and Savanna Shaw singing, Hallelujah.