I don’t know about you, but I almost hate to turn on the news these days–and I’m a news junkie!

Everything we seem to hear today is just plain depressing.

• The economy is tanking.
• People are losing their homes.
• Unemployment is rampant.
• War seems endless.
• And don’t even get me started on the morality of “celebrities” these days!

Everywhere we look it seems like we see poor examples and we hear bad news. I find myself wondering,

“What kind of world will my children live in?”

If I let myself, I could get quite…

downcast…

depressed…

desperate for an answer.

Ah, but here’s the good news! The answer has come-and it came a LONG TIME AGO.

I suppose the people in Isaiah’s days were desperate too. They were under deep political and spiritual persecution. They had been promised a Messiah, but they saw no evidence that relief would ever come.

I would imagine that parents in Isaiah’s time worried about the future of their children as well. How would they escape persecution? How would they be delivered?

And in his loving way, God brought the prophet Isaiah to bring them a message of peace and hope.

This week I opened the book of Isaiah to find many words of hope which I plan to cling to in these days. If you have time, read through Isaiah 40 and 41, underlining the many words of promise that God provides.

Here are just a few of my favorite verses from these chapters:

Isaiah 40: 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.

Isaiah 40:28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:13 For I am the LORD, your God,
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.

May God bring you peace through His word in these days.

Photo credit:  Allposters.com

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Because in her words “every day is an adventure”, Shelly blogs at “Life on the Wild Side“.  Be sure to visit, you’ll find a breath of fresh air.