Thanksgiving & Trust in Salvation

Isaiah 12,

As I was trying to meditate on this passage, it's obviously a hymn, a hymn of praise, a hymn of thanksgiving to God. And in these words here, there is what many commentators describe as a similarity in this song of praise and thanksgiving that is similar to the song of praise and thanksgiving that was sung by the nation of Israel after it passed through the Red Sea. And as we look at this, we see that there is a focus on the need to always be aware of and give thanks to God for the greatest thing that he has done for any of us and that is our salvation. There are many things we can give thanks for. We can give thanks for our daily bread, we can give thanks for our jobs, we can give thanks for loved ones, we can give thanks for the sunshine, we can give thanks for… the list can go on and on and on. But above all, for those of us who have been saved, we should always be ready and quick to come to our God and give him thanks.

It says here, “I will give thanks to you, O Lord.” Right? And it says, “For though you were angry with me.” And I admit, I have not had time to go back and try to understand all of what is involved with the prophecies, and what Isaiah is speaking of at this moment; but from what I recall in looking at this, the nation had been under judgment for their turning away from the Lord and they were righteously judged. And so, too, will sinners who do not repent, they will be righteously judged. But yet, the Lord still showed compassion and mercy to his people. His anger turned away, and there was this redemption of the nation of Israel who had been exiled, and they returned. And as they returned they could come back to Jerusalem and praise their God for the salvation that he has brought.

And as I've been looking at Isaiah, I know that often there is very much that is difficult to understand. Because I think in prophecy there is an immediate focus or in the very short term that is going to take place; but then there's this future aspect of the prophecy. And I do think that even in this, that this has application for us. Because when we have been saved, in that day when the Lord saved us, he has turned his wrath from us because of what Christ has done for us. He is turning away that judgment that we so rightly deserve because of our sin. And in his great mercy and love through the work of Christ, and our being clothed in Christ's righteousness, he is now our salvation. In verse 2 it says, “Behold, God is my salvation.” I couldn't do it, you couldn't do it, none of us could save ourselves, but it is God who is our salvation.

And so as we reflect on this, he says, “I will trust and will not be afraid; for the Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” So, I just share that that is something that really, really struck me when I read this a few days ago, going through in my devotions. And just that reminder that it is always right for us as God's people to give him thanks for that oh-so-great a salvation that he has wrought for us, that we should give him praise. And you notice it continues on, “with joy.” We should be the most joyful people. We have been given the greatest gift, we should be overflowing with joy. So, “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” 

It's almost like thinking about how Jesus said, “I am the living water.” You draw the water. I mean, we're looking to Christ here. “And you will say in that day, ‘Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.’” Should we not be ready to share the wondrous, glorious gospel and the salvation that we have experienced with others? And so should we not be ready to not only give thanks but also to make known his deeds among the people; proclaim his name, sing praises to the Lord; he has done gloriously.

And it closes, “Shout, sing for joy, Oh, inhabitant of Zion!” An inhabitant, we are part of God's family, “O inhabitant of Zion,” we are an inhabitant now, we are part of God's family, and a part of the church.

And then for, “Great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel,” I think even there, maybe even pointing in a picture, looking forward to Christ.

So, in this short chapter, I hope this is an encouragement for us as we come to pray, to be ready to give thanks, for our God has done great things in our salvation; and remembering that the God who has saved us, he is a God that we can now trust in; we have no reason to be afraid whatever we encounter. And remember that the Lord is our strength, that he is our song, he is our salvation.