July 5 / Every Day God: We Wait Expectantly!

Isaiah 26:1-13

Amplified Bible (AMP)

26 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; [the Lord] sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks.

2 Open the gates, that the [uncompromisingly] righteous nation which keeps her faith and her troth [with God] may enter in.

3 You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.

4 So trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages].

5 For He has brought down the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city; He lays it low, lays it low to the ground; He brings it even to the dust.

6 The foot has trampled it down—even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.

7 The way of the [consistently] righteous (those living in moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relationship of their lives) is level and straight; You, O [Lord], Who are upright, direct aright and make level the path of the [uncompromisingly] just andrighteous.

8 Yes, in the path of Your judgments, O Lord, we wait [expectantly] for You; our heartfelt desire is for Your name and for the remembrance of You.

9 My soul yearns for You [O Lord] in the night, yes, my spirit within me seeks You earnestly; for [only] when Your judgments are in the earth will the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God).

10 Though favor is shown to the wicked, yet they do not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness they deal perversely and refuse to see the majesty of the Lord.

11 Though Your hand is lifted high to strike, Lord, they do not see it. Let them see Your zeal for Your people and be ashamed; yes, let the fire reserved for Your enemies consume them.

12 Lord, You will ordain peace (God’s favor and blessings, both temporal and spiritual) for us, for You have also wrought in us and for us all our works.

13 O Lord, our God, other masters besides You have ruled over us, but we will acknowledge and mention Your name only.

Isaiah 35:1-10

Amplified Bible (AMP)

35 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the rose and the autumn crocus.

2 It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellency of [Mount] Carmel and [the plain] of Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty and splendor and excellency of our God.

3 Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble and tottering knees.

4 Say to those who are of a fearful and hasty heart, Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance; with the recompense of God He will come and save you.

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

6 Then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

7 And the burning sand and the mirage shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lay resting, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

8 And a highway shall be there, and a way; and it shall be called the Holy Way. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for the redeemed; the wayfaring men, yes, the simple ones and fools, shall not err in it and lose their way.

9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk on it.

10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

No matter what we go through in this life, we have hope! One day, we will be dancing and leaping! One day our bodies will be completely restored! Our sorrow will be over! Our tears will be wiped away! All we have to do is stay on the Holy Highway!

"Thank You Jesus for Your songs of deliverence in the night. We can have faith and hope in every trying circumstance. Continue to help us to let go. To let go of the desire to fix everything now. To let go of the desire for the current pain to be gone. To let go of our frustration. Help us to simply embrace the pain and rest in You. Knowing if we simply endure, the pain will be replaced with sheer joy and intense gladness! Thank You Jesus! You are great and greatly to be praised! You reign, high and lifted up, forever and ever! AMEN."