Summer 2011 Bible Study: Week 4 Day 6

Dear Summer Bible Study Friends -

I have loved praying over you and your comments these last few days. Today, I once again opened the Word to my most beloved portion of scripture, so I thought I would include a little portion from a book I wrote, Sticky Notes and Shoes. This book is a 5 week Bible Study and today's materials comes from a portion of week 4, but I adore this day... I adore this scripture... it once again ministered to my heart and my prayer is that it does the same for you.

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Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:30–31)

I used to keep this verse on a sticky note tucked nicely inside my tennis shoes. I wrote this Scripture on the bottom of my track shoes while I ran on the high school track team. I etched this Scripture into the inside of the grips that protected my hands as a competitive gymnast. A nurse wrote this Scripture on my physical therapy orders after I was hospitalized with a serious neck and back injury. I wrote this Scripture in my diary the day my grandmother passed away. I was given a key chain she used to carry with this Scripture engraved on it. This Scripture is mine. I am sure of it. I am sure when this passage was written, these two verses were written for me.

And today, this Scripture can still be found written on a sticky note and neatly folded and tucked into any pair of my shoes on any given day. This Scripture is one that I hope to tattoo on my body in a very girly and elegant way one day. This Scripture is mine, it was written for me, it speaks to me, and I cannot live without it.

Much like a good pair of tennis shoes, I cannot live without this Scripture. Much like a nice, comfortable, worn in pair of jeans and a ratty old sweatshirt, I am at home within these pages of Scripture. Much like I need my morning coffee—specifically, a white chocolate mocha with a few extra pumps of chocolate, whipped cream on top, and made from whole milk—I cannot function without this Scripture. Much like I enjoy a Mountain Dew, I am revived by this Scripture come late afternoon. And much like I enjoy my comfortable bed and very valuable pillow, I find peace within the words of this Scripture. It is mine. It was written for me, and I cannot live without it.

But lately, I have needed just a little more. So I opened His Word and turned to the very worn pages of Isaiah. I started with the very first verse of this chapter. My Bible naturally falls open to this page; I have highlighted the verses, written prayers in the margins, and stained these pages with my tears. This chapter is personal to me.

So as I started to read, I noticed something I overlooked in the past. I noticed the description of this chapter; it is four simple words that I missed during my time within the Word, but this time, they jumped out at me. These simple, four little words are written just before the chapter begins.

The description reads “Comfort for God's People.” I nearly lost it emotionally one day at work, when I came across that phrase as I searched for a little piece of Jesus. I often visit the Web site known as Bible Gateway when I need a midday dose of Jesus, and on this day I needed some comfort. I ran to my most beloved passage, and true to its description, it brought comfort to me, one of His people. I walked through this chapter verse by verse.

Open the Word with me to Isaiah 40:1. Feel free during our time in this chapter to write alongside the Scriptures that speak to you; mark up your Bible, it is yours and there is no harm in journaling alongside the very words of our Sweet Jesus.

The Scripture that I have included below is from the NIV translation, and you will find my journalings under each passage that speaks to me.

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.

I praise you, Jesus, for your comfort. I am humbled by the price you have paid for me. I am speechless as I think back on the events of that day when your blood was shed for me.

3 A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.

At this moment in time, I feel like I have landed in the middle of the desert, and at times I am overcome with fear because it feels as if you are far from me. I feel alone. I feel unprotected. I feel as if I am just standing in the open desert, waiting for an animal to attack me and take me off as his afternoon snack. I am afraid. I am worried and anxious and alone.

4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.

5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

In the midst of my time in the desert, you are still God, you are still good, and you are still my savior. You will make my rough ground level. You will keep my feet steady and my heart steadfast over you. I trust you. I will proclaim the glory that is yours, even in the midst of my desert place.

6 A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?" "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.

7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass.

8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever."

My desert place will not last. My anxious nights will pass, and my despair will be distant. Your Word says so, and your Word says that it will stand forever. Those very words bring life into my soul. Tears of joy stream down my face. The grass may wither and the flowers may fall, just like my time in the desert will pass, but your Word proclaims that it will stand forever. And for that, I will praise you.

9 You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your God!"

10 See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.

Lord - The power in Your Word leaves me speechless. The Sovereign Lord comes with power. His arm rules for him and his reward is with him; I cannot help but think that you are speaking about your son, my Sweet Jesus, there. I will find him in you and you in him. I want to find you in me and me in him. I want to take comfort in your sovereign power, and I want to have the confidence that comes with knowing just how much power you have.

11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

You leading me brings me comfort beyond what I am able to describe. As I look deeper into what it means for you to tend your flock like a shepherd, I am amazed. To know you look out for my every need like a shepherd tends his flock brings me peace. To know you fend off wild beasts that want to attack me and eat me as an afternoon snack rids my mind of worry. To know you will provide shelter as a storm comes brings me hope, and to know you will never turn your back on me or leave me brings me everlasting joy.

12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?

13 Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or instructed him as his counselor?

Not me … I am amazed at the very things you have put into the place. I am in awe of the power that is within your hands. I am humbled at the thought of the amount of knowledge you possess. You are intelligent beyond description.

Well, my dear one, we certainly spent some time in the Word today, and I pray blessings over you as you go on with your day and week. I know we did a lot of reading today, and I pray you got right in and wrote all over the Word, so for now we will leave off at verse 14. Take a moment and pick out one verse that spoke to you as we spent time together today, and write it on a sticky note and post it somewhere that you will see it and read over and remember exactly who your Sweet Jesus really is. I pray you enjoy Him and His Word until we meet again. I love you!

Today’s Prayer:

Jesus, be my comfort. Amen.