The heart benevolent and kind

Robert Burns concludes his poem, ’A Winter Night’with the ultimate truth of all religions.

It reads”‘But, deep this truth impress’d my mind, Thr’all His works abroad, The heart benevolent and kind, The most resembles God.’

In this verse, Burns captures the true purpose in life and the genuine power in religion.‘The heart benevolent and kind, the most resembles God’.

We are studying Isaiah 40-55, the high water mark, the supreme expression, of Israel’s religion, faith and way of life.

Israel’s religion, like many others, expresses decency towards others and reverence towards God. That is the unbroken theme throughout the entire Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible.

Remember Micah?‘God has shown you, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you. But to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God’(Micah 6.8).

All these ideas are contained in what we used to call‘The providence of God’.

Our forefathers lived with this sense of the providence of God.

After they made their plans, they would say,‘God willing’or words to that effect.

They had made their plans, but they placed them under the guidance and protection of God.

You might say they gave God his place.

In contrast, the results from the recent Census shows that an increasing section of the community profess no religion at all.

Society does not give God his due place.

In the book of Isaiah, this sense of the guidance and providential care of God is wonderfully expressed.

Listen to these words:‘Thus says the Lord who created you O Jacob and formed you, O Israel. Fear not I have redeemed you, called you, you are mine’(Isaiah 43.1).

These words were addressed to a humiliated Israel in exile.

Second Isaiah then delivers to his people a strong message founded upon the promises of

God: ’When you pass through waters I will be with you. When you walk through the fire you shall not be burned. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour’(Isaiah 43.2-3).

Surely, it is blindly obvious that this is God’s message for our generation?

More especially for our own personal life and experience.

Rest assured, no matter how confused the day, how chaotic the circumstances, when you pass through troubled waters, God will be with you, and through threatening fire, you shall not be consumed.

There is our undisturbed assurance grounded in the eternal Sovereignty of God.

We then read the finest message we can ever receive from the Lord God:‘Because you are precious in mine eyes, you are honoured by me and I (God) love you’(Isaiah 43.4).

What an estimation, what a value, placed upon the human race. We are honoured and loved by the Lord God of eternity.

That being the case, we can witness to the presence and power of God.

‘You are my witnesses, saith the Lord, My servants whom I have chosen’(Isaiah 43. 10).

The picture shows the powerful and pompous nations gathering to confront the eternal God.

‘Bring forth the people, gather the nations’(Isaiah 43,8-9).

And it is Israel, a broken and distressed puny state, who will witness for the Lord God against these mighty worldly powers.

‘You are my witnesses saith the

Lord, my servants whom I have chosen’(Isaiah 43.10).

There is so much in this second section (chapters 40-55) of the book of Isaiah.

I have concentrated on chapter 43 because it is so full of wisdom. Listen! ‘Before me there was no god, nor shall there be any after me. I am the Lord and beside me there is no saviour. I declared, saved and proclaimed when there was no strange god among you. I am God and henceforth I am the living One. There is none who can deliver from my hand. I work and who can stop me’(Isaiah 43,11-13).

Here is God’s eternal assurance for the faith in your soul.

A little prayer – gentle Father God, may your heavenly glory shine in our darkened world.

May your gentle radiance find us in our little days.

May your eternal presence ever be seen in Jesus, the Man from Galilee. In His Name, AMEN.