Hello, I'm Matt Lucas, President of Our Daily Bread Ministries. We're so thankful to be a part of your regular devotions as you spend time in God's Word by listening to and reading Our Daily Bread. As a regular listener, you're accustomed to the devotion being read first and then the scripture reading. Many of you, however, have expressed a desire to hear the scripture reading first. We've heard you, and with this new year, we're introducing an updated edition of the audio that begins with the scripture reading. You'll also notice some additional elements that we hope will encourage a deeper engagement with scripture helping you to grow closer to Jesus. And as you listen, you can know that millions of people are reading, reflecting, and responding to scripture with you every single day. Thank you for being a part of this mission to make the life changing wisdom of the Bible understandable and accessible to all.
God's promise beyond the ruins was written in red by Wynn Collier. When I called him, he was only one man, and I blessed him and made him many. The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins. He will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the Garden of the Lord.
Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. Listen to me, my people. Hear me, my nation. Instruction will go out from me. My justice will become a light to the nations. My righteousness draws near speedily.
My salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm. Lift up your eyes to the heavens. Look at the earth beneath. The heavens will vanish like smoke. The earth will wear out like a garment, and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever.
My righteousness will never fail. God's promise beyond the ruins. As Hurricane Laura raged through the Gulf of Mexico toward the US coastline of Louisiana, the warnings were dire. One sheriff, noting the 150 mile per hour winds, issued this jolting message.
Please evacuate, but if you choose to stay and we can't get to you, write your name, address, social security number, and next of kin, and put it in a Ziploc bag in your pocket, praying that it does not come to this. Rescue crews knew that once Laura hit land, they could only watch the storm's destructive path, helpless in its wake. Whenever God's people in the Old Testament faced natural or spiritual calamity, his words were far more certain and hopeful, promising his presence despite destruction. In Isaiah 51, he said that he would look with compassion on all her ruins and would make her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. And more, God always assured his people of the rescue and healing that would certainly follow if they would only trust him. Even though the heavens would vanish like smoke, God said, his salvation would last forever. Whatever the damage, his ultimate goodness toward them wouldn't be thwarted.
Ever. God doesn't safeguard us from hardship, but he does promise that his restorative healing extends far beyond the ruin. Let's pray. Dear God, the ruins around us are so devastating. Sometimes we're not sure we can believe that you have a promise big enough for all of our despair. But we choose to believe. In Jesus' name. Amen. As you go about your day, reflect on these questions. Where are you facing calamity and ruin? How do you hear God's promise to be with you, to heal and rebuild you after the ruins?
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