Isaiah 35:4-7 (NRSV)
Read Isaiah 35:4-7 on biblegateway.com
Verse 4Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you."
Verse 5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; Verse 6then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; Verse 7the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
Devotion
In many stories in Scripture, faithfulness is rewarded with physical healing: If you only believe hard enough, you will get rid of whatever is keeping you from living your best life!
These stories are difficult for me to read—no matter how hard I pray or how deeply I believe, I will always have anxiety that must be treated professionally, and there are a lot of folks who will always need glasses, a wheelchair or help with anything academic. It's how we are made.
Does that mean our faith isn't strong? No. These stories are told to help us rearrange our own perceptions. Believers, don't worry about what society sees as "less than"! God loves you just as you are—and that's something to celebrate. My being beloved might not cure my anxiety, but I can be sure that God will love me always and care for me just as I am, and for that I am grateful!
Prayer
Loving God, help us to trust that you love us and celebrate us as we are, even when the world would tell us to think otherwise. You love us in all our imperfections and uniqueness, and for that we give thanks. Amen.