August 02, 2011
Isaiah 30 - What Jane (Her Name Was Jane) told us to read in September of '07, almost four years ago. It was a Sunday and my husband and I were on the way home from church. We decided to go see Jane since I was going to be unable to visit her on Monday.
We arrived at the nursing home. Jane evidently had just finished lunch and was sitting in her wheel chair by the nurses station.
As we approached her I touched her arm and said, "Hi Jane. I've brought my husband along to visit with you." This was the first time Jane or my husband had met each other. Jane slowly reached out to offer her hand in a handshake. She smiled but had no verbal response. That is how our normal conversations typically went. Me talking and no verbal responses from Jane. I said, "Let's go down to your room," and my husband pushed her wheelchair to her room. I sat on the edge of her recliner chair. My husband stood beside her for awhile and then sat on the edge of her bed. I continued my one-sided conversation. I introduced my husband; I talked about our church service that morning; I talked about the weather; I told her I couldn't come like I normally did on Monday, etc. All one-sided.
I picked up Jane's Bible to read to her like I normally would. I asked, "Jane, is there anything you would like me to read?" To my surprise Jane spoke and said, "Yes. Let me think... Isaiah 30." What? Something she wanted me to read? Isaiah? Really? Of all the books in the Bible why on earth something in Isaiah? I found the chapter. It was long. I began to read. I might as well have been reading Greek. To me it was just long and complicated. I didn't understand any of it. I finally finished the chapter and thought I would flip over to the Psalms to read something lighter and easier to understand when Jane spoke. She said, "Read the part about wait on the LORD again."
What? I didn't remember reading anything in the long chapter that even resembled, "Wait on the Lord." I remember having a panic type feeling. What am I going to do? Jane thinks there is something about, "Wait on the Lord," in this chapter. I took my finger, and starting from the end of the chapter, I began retracing the words trying to find it. In my mind I'm thinking, "What if it's not in here? What am I going to do? Jane thinks it is in here?" I keep tracing the words repeating the phrase over and over to myself. "Wait on the Lord ... wait on the Lord." I look up at my husband with a panicked look that meant, "What am I going to do?" I get halfway back through the long chapter and there it was. "Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are those who wait for him."
Incredible. My husband and I had both totally missed it. Jane had spoken nothing since she told me to read Psalm 150 and Psalm 140 on my Monday morning visit just three days after "the storm" struck. And now here it is two months later, and Jane tells us to read Isaiah 30. Being the slow person that I am—I don't get it—and I don't realize Isaiah 30 is another message from God. To get my attention, Jane (God) had to ask me to, "Read the part about wait on the LORD again."
I am about to face my first deposition, something that is not only intimidating, but the unknown is also frightening, and Jane tells us to read Isaiah 30 which says:
1) The LORD is gracious;
2) The LORD is compassionate;
3) The LORD is a God of justice;
4) Wait on Him and you will be blessed.
Not only is the LORD those things, but He longs to show it to you and He rises to make sure it is done. Wow! Another Jane/God moment. I am so glad my husband was there and was able to share in witnessing God's hand in our lives. When we got home we re-read the chapter. Most of the chapter still seemed like Greek. After it says to "wait on the LORD," it says this: "How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you... whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, 'This is the way, walk in it.' "
Amazing. Just absolutely amazing. God used Jane to remind us:
When I think about how I used to read the Bible and how I read it now, it is as different as night and day. I now read with the purpose of learning what it is God is wanting to teach me. I've read the entire Bible through multiple times since my husband's and my fateful encounter with Jane on that Sunday afternoon. I'm now in the process of keeping a journal of my thoughts as I read through the entire Bible again. It's taken me almost two years to get to where I'm at today. Isaiah 30 no longer seems like Greek. Now we understand (at least somewhat) what the entire chapter means and how the entire chapter relates to "the storm" we are in and the contrasts and consequences for the life choices we/they make.
Chapter 28 - God issues warnings to His people. Their pride had caused them to rely on themselves, in who they were and what they had done instead of realizing whose they were. God will not be replaced. They were trying to assume the glory that belonged to God as their own. God will not allow it. He tried to teach them a lesson, but they wouldn't listen. He tried to offer them a place of rest and peace, but they wouldn't listen. So God said the very words you used is what will be used against you. You will fall back and be defeated. You will be trapped and captured.
Isaiah/God still tried to get their attention. Listen! You think you are in control. "We have made" plans, we've thought all scenarios through, we've schemed, we have our strategy. "Our lies will keep us safe and our tricks will hide us." The KJV says it this way: "We have made our lies our refuge and under falsehood we have hid our self." (I can't help think about the great lengths my sister and brother-in-law have went to for the very reasons listed.) BUT! Because of what they have done there will be accountability. God provided the cornerstone, His son Jesus, who is either a sure foundation to build your life upon, or He is the stumbling stone. (Isaiah 8:14) Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disappointed. He will use justice as a measuring line and goodness as the standard.
Then the "will" statements of God begin. These things "will" happen:
Next Entry: Isaiah 28:1 – 31:9 (Continued)
Isaiah 30 - What Jane (Her Name Was Jane) told us to read in September of '07, almost four years ago. It was a Sunday and my husband and I were on the way home from church. We decided to go see Jane since I was going to be unable to visit her on Monday.
We arrived at the nursing home. Jane evidently had just finished lunch and was sitting in her wheel chair by the nurses station.
Side note: All of Jane's food was pureed so she could swallow it. I think this was because of her Parkinson's. When Jane ate, she always wore a bib made out of a towel. This towel/bib covered her entire chest and lap. Most times someone would help feed her. If she tried to feed herself it was painfully slow. It would take her literally minutes to get something on her spoon and have the strength to get it to her mouth. And that was IF the food remained on her spoon. Jane's entire body was rigid. When I first met her she had a regular wheelchair. If she started to "lean" there was no way to help her become erect again. The nursing home eventually gave her what I affectionately called "The Semi." It was much larger and it was in a permanent reclining position with side cushions gently surrounding her body. The shape of it kept Jane safely upright and in a stable position.Anyways... on this Sunday she was in her regular wheelchair. I can clearly picture the entire scene in my mind. We turned the corner by the cafeteria to walk down the hall towards her room and there, sitting directly in front of us at the end of the hall, asleep in her wheelchair with her head slumped forward—was Jane. I excitedly said to my husband—"There she is!"
As we approached her I touched her arm and said, "Hi Jane. I've brought my husband along to visit with you." This was the first time Jane or my husband had met each other. Jane slowly reached out to offer her hand in a handshake. She smiled but had no verbal response. That is how our normal conversations typically went. Me talking and no verbal responses from Jane. I said, "Let's go down to your room," and my husband pushed her wheelchair to her room. I sat on the edge of her recliner chair. My husband stood beside her for awhile and then sat on the edge of her bed. I continued my one-sided conversation. I introduced my husband; I talked about our church service that morning; I talked about the weather; I told her I couldn't come like I normally did on Monday, etc. All one-sided.
I picked up Jane's Bible to read to her like I normally would. I asked, "Jane, is there anything you would like me to read?" To my surprise Jane spoke and said, "Yes. Let me think... Isaiah 30." What? Something she wanted me to read? Isaiah? Really? Of all the books in the Bible why on earth something in Isaiah? I found the chapter. It was long. I began to read. I might as well have been reading Greek. To me it was just long and complicated. I didn't understand any of it. I finally finished the chapter and thought I would flip over to the Psalms to read something lighter and easier to understand when Jane spoke. She said, "Read the part about wait on the LORD again."
What? I didn't remember reading anything in the long chapter that even resembled, "Wait on the Lord." I remember having a panic type feeling. What am I going to do? Jane thinks there is something about, "Wait on the Lord," in this chapter. I took my finger, and starting from the end of the chapter, I began retracing the words trying to find it. In my mind I'm thinking, "What if it's not in here? What am I going to do? Jane thinks it is in here?" I keep tracing the words repeating the phrase over and over to myself. "Wait on the Lord ... wait on the Lord." I look up at my husband with a panicked look that meant, "What am I going to do?" I get halfway back through the long chapter and there it was. "Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are those who wait for him."
Incredible. My husband and I had both totally missed it. Jane had spoken nothing since she told me to read Psalm 150 and Psalm 140 on my Monday morning visit just three days after "the storm" struck. And now here it is two months later, and Jane tells us to read Isaiah 30. Being the slow person that I am—I don't get it—and I don't realize Isaiah 30 is another message from God. To get my attention, Jane (God) had to ask me to, "Read the part about wait on the LORD again."
I am about to face my first deposition, something that is not only intimidating, but the unknown is also frightening, and Jane tells us to read Isaiah 30 which says:
1) The LORD is gracious;
2) The LORD is compassionate;
3) The LORD is a God of justice;
4) Wait on Him and you will be blessed.
Not only is the LORD those things, but He longs to show it to you and He rises to make sure it is done. Wow! Another Jane/God moment. I am so glad my husband was there and was able to share in witnessing God's hand in our lives. When we got home we re-read the chapter. Most of the chapter still seemed like Greek. After it says to "wait on the LORD," it says this: "How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you... whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, 'This is the way, walk in it.' "
Amazing. Just absolutely amazing. God used Jane to remind us:
- God is gracious
- He is compassionate
- He is a God of justice
- He will bless us
- He will be behind us directing us on which way to go
When I think about how I used to read the Bible and how I read it now, it is as different as night and day. I now read with the purpose of learning what it is God is wanting to teach me. I've read the entire Bible through multiple times since my husband's and my fateful encounter with Jane on that Sunday afternoon. I'm now in the process of keeping a journal of my thoughts as I read through the entire Bible again. It's taken me almost two years to get to where I'm at today. Isaiah 30 no longer seems like Greek. Now we understand (at least somewhat) what the entire chapter means and how the entire chapter relates to "the storm" we are in and the contrasts and consequences for the life choices we/they make.
Chapter 28 - God issues warnings to His people. Their pride had caused them to rely on themselves, in who they were and what they had done instead of realizing whose they were. God will not be replaced. They were trying to assume the glory that belonged to God as their own. God will not allow it. He tried to teach them a lesson, but they wouldn't listen. He tried to offer them a place of rest and peace, but they wouldn't listen. So God said the very words you used is what will be used against you. You will fall back and be defeated. You will be trapped and captured.
Isaiah/God still tried to get their attention. Listen! You think you are in control. "We have made" plans, we've thought all scenarios through, we've schemed, we have our strategy. "Our lies will keep us safe and our tricks will hide us." The KJV says it this way: "We have made our lies our refuge and under falsehood we have hid our self." (I can't help think about the great lengths my sister and brother-in-law have went to for the very reasons listed.) BUT! Because of what they have done there will be accountability. God provided the cornerstone, His son Jesus, who is either a sure foundation to build your life upon, or He is the stumbling stone. (Isaiah 8:14) Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disappointed. He will use justice as a measuring line and goodness as the standard.
Then the "will" statements of God begin. These things "will" happen:
- the lies you hide behind will be destroyed
- your plans will be erased
- your schemes will not help you
- when punishment comes you will be crushed
- it will take you away
- it will be relentless
- it will defeat you
- the punishment will be terrifying
- there will be no comfort or rest
- the LORD will fight
- He will be angry
- He will do His plan
- He will finish what He has started
- the ropes will become tighter if you don't understand.
Next Entry: Isaiah 28:1 – 31:9 (Continued)
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