Isaiah 30:18 Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
he rises to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!

Once again we have a greatly comforting statement after a section detailing the consequences of sin and rebellion. The verses immediately following this one are more famous, but this one sets the tone. The Japanese puts it as “The Lord is waiting to be gracious to you,” with the image of real desire, of impatience even. After that, Isaiah says that God stands up to be merciful to us. The context is of a king, who stood from his throne only when he wanted to, and others either stood or bowed in his presence. God is indeed the great King, the King of all kings, yet He gets up from His throne to show us mercy. That should be a very moving image. The verse then goes on to remind us that God is the God of righteousness, (which the NIV renders as “justice”) which should be very encouraging to all who desire to do right. The Japanese expresses the last of the verse as, “How blessed are all who wait expectantly for the Lord.” This is exactly the same phrase Isaiah uses again in the very famous line in Isaiah 40:31. The NIV says “hope” in that verse, but the Japanese phrase of “wait expectantly” seems to agree with the Hebrew very well. Tradition tells us that Isaiah was martyred by being sawed in two, which is a pretty horrible end to this life, but he certainly received a glorious reward on his arrival before the throne of God! He knew in faith of what he wrote, even though he didn’t see the fulfillment in this life.

I’ve always loved the book of Isaiah, and am delighted when the Bible reading list gets there. I have much to learn from him, both in his grasp of the character of God and his understanding of waiting expectantly for God. The better I grasp His character the more patient I become, too! The picture of God rising to be merciful brings to mind Psalm 18:35, that the NIV renders very movingly as, “you stoop down to make me great.” (Also in 2 Samuel 22:36.) God as the Creator doesn’t have to do anything for us, His creation, but His character of love causes Him to do so. I have experienced this time and time again, and my desire is to introduce as many people as I can to such a wonderful, magnificent, gracious and loving God. I am grieved when people, through their words and actions, express such distorted ideas of who and what God is. I am to express the truth to them in love, but not think that I can change them by my own efforts. Rather, I am to hold myself available to God for Him to use me in being gracious to others, so that as many as will may repent and believe, for their salvation and His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for all the saints who were faithful to record what You spoke to them. Help me likewise be faithful to transmit what You speak to me, so that the earth may be as full of the knowledge of You as the sea is full of water, (Habakkuk 2:14) for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!