Return and Rest

Isaiah 30:15 ESV

“For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”’

God was telling Israel not to rely on Egypt to save them, which would have been a temporary fix. God wanted Israel to rely on Him, so that He could save them and preserve them forever. God even gave them the recipe; Return, (to God), and there they will find the rest that they desired from worry, stress, anxiety, and fear. Second, in quietness, which is a pause of being frantic or worried by their self-driven efforts or a pause from plotting and planning on how they could deliver themselves, to trusting, which was the active, inner confidence that God is in control and will act on behalf of His people.

So, what does this passage say to us? Where has our own human efforts got us so far? Then change things by returning to our God our deliverer and our protector, then we will find the rest from worry, stress, anxiety, and fear. Stop listening to our own reasonings, plots and planning and begin to trust God because He has always provided our escape from the hands of the enemy.

Prayer:

Lord, our way has not brought us lasting peace and rest on every side. Help us to turn around and run back to You. Stop the other voices in our heads that want to work things out on our own. Teach us to trust You completely. In Your name Lord Jesus we ask, Amen!