After the Storm

Isaiah 62 CEB
For Zion’s sake I won’t keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I won’t sit still until her righteousness shines out like a light, and her salvation blazes like a torch.
Nations will see your righteousness, all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name, which the Lord’s own mouth will determine.
You will be a splendid garland in the Lord’s hand, a royal turban in the palm of God’s hand.
You will no longer be called Abandoned, and your land will no longer be called Deserted. Instead, you will be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land, Married. Because the Lord delights in you, your land will be cared for once again.
As a young man marries a young woman, so your sons will marry you. With the joy of a bridegroom because of his bride, so your God will rejoice because of you.

Upon your walls, Jerusalem, I have appointed sentinels. Continually, all day and all night, they won’t keep silent. You who call on the Lord, don’t rest, and don’t allow God to rest until he establishes Jerusalem, and makes it the praise of the earth.
The Lord has promised with raised hand and strong arm: I will never again give your grain as food for your enemies. Foreigners won’t drink your wine for which you labored.
Those who harvest will eat it and will praise the Lord; those who gather will drink it  in my holy courtyards.

Pass through, pass through the gates;  prepare the way for the people! Build, build the road; clear away the stones! Raise up a signal for the peoples.
This is what the Lord announced to the earth’s distant regions: Say to Daughter Zion, “Look! Your deliverer arrives, bringing reward and payment!”
They will be called The Holy People, Redeemed By the Lord. And you will be called Sought After--
    A City That Is Not Abandoned.

    What I am going to write isn't brain surgery. Sometimes we need to hear the simple stuff because we get bogged down in the complex details. When our brain hurts from thinking too much it is nice to hear the sky is blue and the grass is green; today is Thursday, and tomorrow is Friday. Sometimes we need to step back and realize the bigger truth and take a collective sigh. 
    God loves us. In many ways it is that simple. When God acts in the world it is an action of love. When God speaks to us it is a word of love. When God gives us the means to set us back on the correct path, that too is an act of love. I say this because the bible would have tons of 'kick them while the're down' moments if God was anything but a God of love. If that was the case we would be able to point to places where God responds to the people, "Told you so, you idiot," but we don't. It is in humanities darkest hours of distress and loss God shines a light into our darkness. Isaiah 62 is one of those moments. The Hebrew people are separated from their homeland, and their connection to God through the temple. Things couldn't get much worse. Instead of God sending a message of 'see I told you so,' the people get a message of hope. God lets them know redemption is going to come. God tells them there is something to look forward to.
    We should remember this. When life appear to be at its lowest, and there doesn't appear to be any way out of the muck... don't give up hope. God is a God of love, and God loves you. Yes, getting out of the muck and low points is an enormous undertaking. Yet, because God loves us, God is there to be our cheerleader, telling us what great thing lies right around the corner. Trust that the still small voice is there, because if you can tune into it, you will hear "I love you, and I want to redeem you."