In times of crisis often we see people getting confused and panicky.  Here the nation was facing a crisis of war threats from its enemies. However, God Almighty always expects His children to stay calm (rest) put their trust in Him rather than in human alternatives. But here, in their time of need they were trying to find refuge in the strength of Egypt – something that God had forbidden in the past.  Instead of trusting in the Lord, the people wanted to depend on Egypt for horses and chariots to defend the land (Isaiah 31:1). 

Putting our trust in God first requires a resting process, that is, quietening our minds focusing on His promises. This has manifold rewards, as today’s reading unfolds:

I.  Rest in the Lord to receive His plans 

God’s plans for His children are always to bless them – but God expects them to put their trust in Him. The condition for His blessing is given in verse 22 & 23. Isa 30:23 “Then He will give you rain…”  and Isa 30:22 explains when God will start His process of blessing. “And you will defile your graven images overlaid with silver, and your molten images plated with gold. You will scatter them as impure thing, and say to them, “Be gone. Then…”  
As it is written in Isaiah 59:1&2:  “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull…”  He can still save us. What God expects from each of us is that our hearts be fully devoted to Him; that we never put our confidence in human strength. 

 

II.  Wait on the Lord to receive His word

Isa 30:20-21 says “He, your teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your teacher.”  This teacher will guide us continually “Your ears will hear a word behind you, “this is the way walk in it”, whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”
The enemy is named in Isa 30:31 as Assyria and God’s plan of dealing with them is stated: “For at the voice of the LORD Assyria will be terrified, when He strikes with the rod.” Even though they had experienced God’s deliverance several times in the past, in their current predicament, their immediate focus went to get human help. They thought vainly that the horses and chariots which they may get from Egypt would safeguard them. But in Deuteronomy 17:16, God had forbidden His people from going to Egypt to gather horses and chariots. God is always a God of justice and therefore He will deal with the enemies of His children according to His plan. See Vs.18: “…For the LORD is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him.” And the word of God instructs us not to act on our plans but, wait eagerly for Him (Romans 12:19).

 

III.  Trust in the Lord to receive His strength

It is often our lack of patience that prevents us from experiencing God’s deliverance and it is due to our hastiness that we are unable to hear His voice. It is because our hearts are full of “graven images” that God finds it unable to dwell in us. As 2Cor 6:16 says “We are the temple of the living God.”  If we truly remain as His temple, then He will dwell in us and walk among us. 

Today God asks us to repent of all our ways of self-reliance and forsake all our God-less schemes and fully trust Him!!

To Act On: When our strength seems reducing, let us examine ourselves and see where our trust is, because in quietness and trust is our strength!

LISTEN- Still