Give Them Back! Intro. and Part I

Every now and then God shows me something in Scripture that makes my heart beat a little faster and the adrenaline certainly began to flow fast and furious when I read Isaiah 42 a few days ago. Over the course of this week we will examine this passage of verses.

The entire chapter of Isaiah 42 is awesome, but I will highlight only a few verses and passages from the whole (all emphases mine). We will begin today in verse 6:

God's Call on Our Lives: (verses 6-7)

6"I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness,
I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You,
And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people,
As a light to the nations,
7 To open blind eyes,
To bring out prisoners from the dungeon
And those who dwell in darkness from the prison.

He has called US to be the people of His promise through Christ, to be a light to the nations, to open the eyes of those who do not see; to bring out the prisoners (that He has freed!) and those who dwell in darkness. But His call is not for us to simply go out on our own and do it; He has said He will “hold us by the hand and watch over” us. He will not leave us to our own devices. He has appointed us as a covenant – a promise – to His people… A light to the nations to open blind eyes and bring out prisoners. But He will go with us and work through us. First Thessalonians 5:24 supports this promise: Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

Those Christians that have been wounded by abortion fit this description so perfectly! They are free in Christ, but they are still living in the dungeon of despair, guilt, and shame. They live under the cover of the secret in their own little prisons…in the darkness of their shame…suffering in silence, alone yet in our midst….

His Promise to Do It: (v. 13)

13 The LORD will go forth like a warrior,
He will arouse His zeal like a man of war
He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry
He will prevail against His enemies.

Bringing abortion recovery to evangelical churches in the U.S. is an uphill battle all the way. The stigmas and misconceptions about abortion that have taken root within the Church make for a nearly impenetrable wall in some circumstances. But God promises to make the way before us as a mighty warrior whose war cry can be heard above the roar of the battle! The time of His silence is over…. And He will prevail! For over 30 years of legalized abortion God has been silent within the Church (for the most part) where the plight of the post-abortive is concerned. Abortion is the last great sin issue to come out of the proverbial closet. We are the "zeal" He will "arouse." Now is the time. Listen for the war cry and prepare, for our God will prevail!

Join us tomorrow for as we continue to look at the next few verses in Isaiah 42.