Welcome Changes – September 8, 2024

Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Isaiah 35:4-6

Welcome Changes

Have you ever met one of those people who can brighten up every room they enter? If the conversation is dull, they liven it up. If everyone is gloomy, they bring cheer. If the mood is tense, they replace it with calm. Such welcome changes! Their arrival makes you want to shout for joy!

The scene Isaiah describes in his prophecy is not that much different. Only Isaiah is not describing a friend who will come to brighten up a room, he is describing our God who “will come to save you.” And what welcome changes this Savior brings! Isaiah prophesied that at our Savior’s arrival, he would open the eyes of the blind; he would unstop the ears of the deaf; he would make the lame leap like a deer; he would cause the mute tongue to shout for joy. When Jesus, our Savior, appeared in this world, he did just that. His miracles made so many shouts for joy.

But in reality, such miracles only served as a taste of a greater joy. Our Savior did not just come to save a few select individuals from their physical problems. He came to save the entire world from our spiritual problem—our spiritual problem of sin. We were spiritually crippled by our wickedness, but Jesus has healed us through the perfect life and innocent death that he accomplished in our place. Because of what he did, we will one day see our God face to face and walk in his holy presence forever.

What welcome changes the Savior brings. Your God has come to save you. Shout for joy!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, fill my heart with shouts of joy as I ponder the depth of your love for me and all people. Amen.