I love the book of Isaiah, it is full of prophecies of Jesus who was to come. The name Isaiah means “Yahweh is salvation” or “salvation of the Lord.” God appointed Isaiah to warn the people of Judah in hopes they would turn back to the Lord. I love that in these chapters there are many pictures of who God is, His character and His passion and love for His people.
In Chapter 45 of Isaiah verses 1-3, it says, “This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: I will go before you and will level mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel that summons you by name.”
I absolutely love tearing these verses apart and putting myself in them. You know, like Cyrus, you and I are God’s anointed. With God’s help, Cyrus was able to strip kings of their armor and with God’s help we can strip down the strongholds and voices in our lives that hold us down or keep us in bondage. God can and will open doors for us that no man can shut. He has already gone before us to level mountains and obstacles of all kinds so that we can move forward in His power. He is breaking down gates of insecurity and cutting through bars of pain. He is turning our darkest hour into our richest moments. See, God doesn’t always reveal the location of our destiny, it is often stored in the “secret places” and the journey we go on to get there is necessary for us to see, experience and KNOW that it is the Lord alone, the God of Israel, that summons us by name. He uses the journey for us to discover Him at a deeper level so that we can be prepared for what He has prepared for us.
What a comfort to know that there is NOTHING our God cannot do. His love for us stretches deeper and wider than we could ever conceive in our minds. Whatever you are battling, God is on your side. He is not disappointed or angry. He is a forgiving, loving, encouraging God that is passionately pursuing you. He who called you is faithful and He will do what He says. Stay sure-footed on this journey and keep your eyes on Him! We all stumble and we all miss the mark, but by the grace of God, we can move forward to discover the riches God has stored for us in those secret places. Keep going…with God, ALL things are possible!!
Erin L.A. Jones 