Daily Dose of the Word of God - Isaiah 40: 1-11

Gregg DeMey, Lead Pastor

Transcript

Gregg DeMey  0:10 

Good morning friends and welcome to Elmhurst CRC's Daily Dose of the Word of God. This is Gregg DeMey, Lead Pastor at the church and it's Thursday, December 12. We're about halfway through the season of Advent, the time of year when we are watching and waiting for God to do something that only God could do. Today's reading is from the prophet Isaiah, chapter 40, verses 1 through 11.

Gregg DeMey  0:33 

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 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. A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,     and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?”  “All people are like grass,     and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news 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 he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. 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.

Gregg DeMey   2:16
  
Let's pray. Oh God, we thank you for your word and your promises to comfort us, your people - to forgive us, to straighten out the crooked places and smooth over the rough. You are the Eternal One, the powerful one. What you say is good and what you promise will come to be. Be our good shepherd in this season. Hold us, lead us, even today. For Jesus sake, amen.