Devotion 230 – Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Opening Prayer

Lord God, heavenly Father, make us alive by Your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Text: Isaiah 44:1–5

“Yet hear now, O Jacob My servant, and Israel whom I have chosen. Thus says the Lord who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you: ‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring; They will spring up among the grass like willows by the watercourses.’ One will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; another will write with his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and name himself by the name of Israel.”

Devotion

This is another one of these glorious promises which should make us so rich and happy when we believe them. The Lord says this to the poor and thirsty. You are His “Israel,” His “chosen,” begotten of His Spirit and created for His service. It was none other than God Himself who awoke the hunger and thirst in your soul, who kindled the flame of faith within and created new life in you. Your longing for God and your love for His children come not from flesh and blood, but from the Spirit of the Lord. You feel parched and thirst for the water of life. Is this true of the world? No, it is the Holy Spirit’s working in you that you know your sin, long for God, and yearn for love. This is the Holy Spirit’s sigh: “Come, rain from on high, let earth be refreshed like a little valley so that what our Jesus has given us can flourish a thousand times! You would refresh the poor thirsting soul with courage and quench it with heavenly water from the stream of paradise!” And to this He answers: “Listen, My chosen and beloved, My precious, whom I have chosen for Myself, – I who created You and help you, now say to you: I will pour out water on the thirsty and streams on the dry land; I will pour out My Spirit on your seed and My blessing on your offspring.” To whose spirit should this be said other than the poor, who sigh for the life-giving rain from heaven? Or how do you read this? How has the Lord given you these words? Truly, He speaks to you, and you ought to hear it. He has planted you and He shall care for His tender plants and water them so that they shall live and grow. They shall stand as willows by the waterbrook to proclaim that the Lord is faithful. These things He says so that you should believe and thus He accomplishes His purpose. The Spirit comes in His Word, and faith in the heart is the secret of life. So hear then, Jacob, and answer: “Let it be to me according to Your Word!” When He says: “I created you, I made you to be My child, and I help you,” then you can say: “I am the Lord’s,” and write with your hand: “I am the Lord’s,” and use Israel as your name.

The season of Pentecost is coming and what God has promised is coming. Expect it with confidence, but do not ask anxiously if you will feel the Spirit’s blessedness. Be still before the Lord. He comes and does His work of creating faith, wonderfully, inwardly, invisibly. But His sound is heard and the seed is scattered far. Aren’t the Lord’s promises more certain than our senses and our sight? And isn’t our unbelief our unhappiness? Take every thought captive under the obedience of faith! The Lord has spoken, and He shall do it. He shall make His Church flourish – through hard times and much tribulation. Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, for you are the Lord’s, and He shall bless you.

Closing Prayer

O our God, faithful, merciful God, grant us grace to believe Your Word for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Hymn

Let Your grace upon us shower
For my soul is dry as sand;
Give Your thirsting Church new power;
Grant refreshment to our land!
Let Your Spirit’s holy might
Pour rich grace upon our night,
Living streams on us bestowing
That our hearts be overflowing.

Holy Ghost, Joy of the faithful,
Enter now my saddened heart;
Let my soul be ever joyful
As Your temple set apart!
Dress it as Your Holy Bride,
Cleanse it now and cast aside
Worldly cares that are betraying,
And would cause me to be straying.

Kramer: Lad din Naade paa os regne L 422:1.4 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Werde munter (ELH 354); alternate hymn: Holy Ghost, with light divine ELH 402:1-2