Comfort my people - Isaiah 40-44

What do you need in a time of stress and bad news? When all hell is breaking lose what is it that you need to get you over the hump? Scripture tells us that a universal cure to desperate times is "good news" .... Proverbs 25:25 reads, "As cold water to a thirsty soul so is good news from a far country." In Proverbs 15:30 it goes on to say, "Bright eyes gladden the heart, good news puts fat on the bones." The answer for sad eyes is a bright picture of hope. In these five chapters of Isaiah we have that bright hope. Up to this point the message in Isaiah has been one of doom and punishment for the sins of Israel. God opens this section in 40:1 telling the prophet to speak "comfort" to His people. He calls them "my" people. God, despite their sin and punishment, is calling them to Himself and providing them comfort through the pronouncement of a future prophet who will set the stage for the Messiah (John the Baptist - Isaiah 40:3 and Matthew 3:3). He is speaking comfort in this section about the Messiah who will take their sins away and will restore the remnant back to fellowship with Him (The Church ... see further Galatians 4:28-31). God's provision of "good news" to the bad life is the key to Scripture. In this section (although tough to read at times) we have the gospel message of good news of the Messiah to save us from our sins. To heal us and save us (43). He gives us strength (41:30-31). Rejoice in this section as you read it. God gives us good news for our thirsty souls. He always knows when we need comfort and He knows how to provide it ... it comes through the gospel message of Christ, our Savior.