March 28, 2001
"Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth
For your Maker is your husband--
the LORD Almighty is his name--
Isaiah 54:4-5
This prophecy depicts the future glory of the church. Israel needn't fear disgrace or humiliation because they had failed to be what God called them to be. Despite the failings of his people God was going to make his church something glorious. One more time these verses open my eyes to the amazing heart of God; what he has done and continues to do in our lives. When you've suffered disgrace or humiliation, regardless of how it comes about, our natural inclination is to hide in shame. It seems impossible at those moments to believe we can be loved for who we are, that anyone can look past the stains and markings that we so obviously bear (or so we think). But it is IN THAT MOMENT that we are chosen by someone to be loved... and not just anyone... it is God himself who chooses to be our husband. He is, at the moment of our greatest shame, humiliation, pain or weakness making a life-long -- eternity-long commitment to us!!