Rejoicing Love

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading titled Rejoicing Love was written by Lisa M. Samra. Brendan and Katie beamed at each other. Looking at the pure joy on their faces, you would have never guessed the difficult ways so many of their wedding plans had been dramatically altered due to COVID-19 restrictions. Even with only 25 family members present, joy and peace radiated from the two as they said their vows because of their love for each other and expressed their gratefulness for God's love sustaining them. The image of a bride and groom delighting over each other is the picture the prophet Isaiah painted to describe the type of delight and love God has for His people. In a beautifully poetic description of God's promised deliverance in Isaiah chapter 61, Isaiah reminded his readers that the salvation God offered them reflected the reality of living in a broken world. Comfort for the brokenhearted, joy for those who mourn, and provision for the needs of His people. God offered help to His people because, just like the bride and groom celebrate their love for each other, so will your God rejoice over you. It's a remarkable truth that God delights in us and wants a relationship with us.

Even when we struggle because of the effects of living in a broken world, we have a God who loves us, not begrudgingly, but with a rejoicing, lasting love that endures forever. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Isaiah chapter 62, verses 1 through 5. For Zion's sake I will not keep silent. For Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No longer will they call you deserted or name your land desolate, but you will be called Hepzibah and your land Beulah, for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married.

And as a young man marries a young woman, so will your builder marry you. As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. Let's pray. Thank you, Lord, for loving us with an everlasting love that can't be broken. Help us to live in the fullness of those filled with your Spirit, and may the love we have in us overflow onto others. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Alisha Reisinger, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.