Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Isaiah 12:1-6 is centered around thanksgiving to God. The people of God will give thanks to the Lord. They will tell about what God has done. This brings great joy.
For some reason, we often seem focused on acts of God which appear negative. Our insurance policies may even classify “acts of God” such as earthquakes or forest fires as covered or uncovered incidents in their coverage. Many in our culture seem convinced that God’s work is, by definition, negative.
In sharp contrast to that, Isaiah 12:1 describes God’s work as turning from anger so as to bring comfort. Verse two describes God’s power as something which drives away fear. Verse five says that God’s name is exalted by his deeds, and it assumes that God’s work is good and gracious.
Do God’s people face trials and tribulations? Yes, they certainly do. Is there a healthy fear of God? Yes indeed. We do not want to fall into God’s righteous wrath against our unrighteousness. But what is the focus of the Bible? It is that, in Christ, God’s anger at sin has been satisfied and that he can look at those who trust in Jesus as if they are perfectly righteous in his sight. God has turned from his anger. He has brought comfort. This is the good news, which should provoke our praises, our songs of joy. The Holy One of Israel is great in our midst.
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