Isaiah 30:9-16
9 For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord; 10 who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, 11 leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.” 12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, “Because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perverseness and rely on them, 13 therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out, and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant; 14 and its breaking is like that of a potter's vessel that is smashed so ruthlessly that among its fragments not a shard is found with which to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern.” 15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling, 16 and you said, “No! We will flee upon horses”; therefore you shall flee away; and, “We will ride upon swift steeds”; therefore your pursuers shall be swift.
Sometimes what we want clashes with reality. We tend to want "smooth things" and "illusions" (verse 10) that are pleasant and make us feel good. Or we want to think that we are in control of our destiny (verse 16). But the reality is that we are not in control, only God is. When we turn from God and comfort ourselves with illusions and fantasies, He will break in to get our attention. This chapter in Isaiah was originally directed to Israelites who looked to Egypt for deliverance rather than to God. But we often do the same thing when we escape into fantasies rather than returning to God "in quietness and in trust" (verse 15). Then we compound our problem by thinking that we can control and fix our problems by ourselves. But like those who thought the secret was finding faster horses (verse 16), such attempts are ultimately useless. Instead we need to learn to trust in God.
Lord, help me to learn to rest and trust in You.
9 For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord; 10 who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, 11 leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.” 12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, “Because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perverseness and rely on them, 13 therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out, and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant; 14 and its breaking is like that of a potter's vessel that is smashed so ruthlessly that among its fragments not a shard is found with which to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern.” 15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling, 16 and you said, “No! We will flee upon horses”; therefore you shall flee away; and, “We will ride upon swift steeds”; therefore your pursuers shall be swift.
Sometimes what we want clashes with reality. We tend to want "smooth things" and "illusions" (verse 10) that are pleasant and make us feel good. Or we want to think that we are in control of our destiny (verse 16). But the reality is that we are not in control, only God is. When we turn from God and comfort ourselves with illusions and fantasies, He will break in to get our attention. This chapter in Isaiah was originally directed to Israelites who looked to Egypt for deliverance rather than to God. But we often do the same thing when we escape into fantasies rather than returning to God "in quietness and in trust" (verse 15). Then we compound our problem by thinking that we can control and fix our problems by ourselves. But like those who thought the secret was finding faster horses (verse 16), such attempts are ultimately useless. Instead we need to learn to trust in God.
Lord, help me to learn to rest and trust in You.