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“Seek the LORD while He may found; call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6-7

Reading the Old Testament prophets (major or minor) can be confusing, complicated, and overwhelming. To me, understanding these prophesies in the context of the nation of Israel, as well as their pointing to Jesus, requires intense study by way of theologians, commentary, and the Holy Spirit Himself! But then I come to particular chapters of Isaiah, and I am overjoyed in seeing clearly the message of salvation and our beautiful Messiah.

In the opening chapter, verse 18, for instance, Isaiah proclaims, “’Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool’.” Then there is the terrible and stunning chapter 53, which describes in prophetic detail the suffering of our Savior and His satisfaction of the wrath that belongs to you and me.

So, as the headlines of this evil and broken world continue to pummel my soul with Davidic questions like, “How long, oh Lord?,” it’s easy to get discouraged. And it can be hard to keep one’s eyes on the Sovereignty and Goodness of our God. But then I open my Bible to Isaiah chapter 55, where the precious promise of God’s grace poured out in a refreshing Gospel reminder.

Here, Isaiah starts by asking why we’re trying to satisfy our soul with the things of this world—we hunger and thirst but chase things that cannot quench our deep needs. No, he says—there is a free gift of God that is yours for the asking! Seek the Lord—call upon Him in your desperation. Forsake your wicked ways and repent—turn back to God. When we recognize that there is no way we can buy, earn, or achieve God’s standard on our own and so surrender to Him, He completely pardons us. (A pardon! Think about this in our modern legal terms! A guilty, convicted criminal is fully forgiven and freed—as if he or she never committed the crime at all. Oh, sweet friend, how amazing is our pardon from the Living God?!) When we call on the Lord in the recognition of our sin and unworthiness, and then surrender to Him, we receive the righteousness of Christ (the suffering Servant of Isaiah 53). And as an extra bonus to exclaim how mind-blowing this free gift of salvation actually is, Isaiah goes right into saying, “And you know what? It is impossible for our puny brains to fathom this abundant compassion, mercy, and grace” (vs. 8-9).

Are you tired and thirsty? Seeking satisfaction from the things of this world? Are you frustrated by the headlines of darkness that make you question whether there is a light that can overcome it? Beloved, from before time began, there has been a plan of Victory! Jesus, the Second Person of the Godhead, came to earth as a Man to suffer the penalty for all who call on His Name, overcoming sin and death. He is the Light that makes all darkness flee. He is the Bread of Life, the Living Water that fully satisfies the “God-shaped hole” in your soul. Won’t you invite Him in and accept His free gift of grace?

“Oh, sweet Jesus, thank You for exchanging my sin and wretchedness for Your righteousness—forever changing me and my eternity. Thank You for Your Word that, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 shouts of Your redemptive plan.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life