Isaiah 41:17-29: a reflection

17The poor and needy seek water, and there is none. Their tongue fails for thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. 18I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the middle of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. 19I will put cedar, acacia, myrtle, and oil trees in the wilderness. I will set cypress trees, pine, and box trees together in the desert; 20that they may see, know, consider, and understand together, that the LORD’s hand has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it. 21Produce your cause,” says the LORD. “Bring out your strong reasons!” says the King of Jacob. 22“Let them announce and declare to us what will happen! Declare the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or show us things to come. 23Declare the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and see it together. 24Behold, you are nothing, and your work is nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination. 25“I have raised up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun, one who calls on my name, and he shall come on rulers as on mortar, and as the potter treads clay. 26Who has declared it from the beginning, that we may know? and before, that we may say, ‘He is right’? Surely, there is no one who declares. Surely, there is no one who shows. Surely, there is no one who hears your words. 27I am the first to say to Zion, ‘Behold, look at them;’ and I will give one who brings good news to Jerusalem. 28When I look, there is no man, even among them there is no counselor who, when I ask, can answer a word. 29Behold, all of their deeds are vanity and nothing. Their molten images are wind and confusion.

To a people who are like the poor and needy seeking water and finding none, their tongues parched with thirst, God gives a tender promise: he himself will answer them and not forsake them, opening rivers in the barren places. The poor and needy seek water, and there is none, God says; their tongue fails for thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water. To the thirsty and needy who have no resource of their own, God promises to bring water where there was none, refreshment in the barren place, and not to forsake them. This is a promise of God's provision and faithfulness to the needy. God answers the needy and brings water to the barren place. God will not forsake the thirsty, but provides for them. God opens rivers in the wilderness for the needy. To the parched and needy, God promises refreshment and faithfulness.

Notice to whom this promise is given, and what it promises. It is given to the poor and needy, those seeking water and finding none, parched with thirst, without resource of their own. And to these God promises: I will answer them; I will not forsake them; I will open rivers in the barren heights, make the wilderness a pool of water. God promises to provide refreshment where there was none, to bring water to the dry and barren place, to meet the need of the needy who have nothing. This speaks to us in our own times of barrenness and need, when we are parched and without resource, seeking and finding nothing. To such God promises that he will answer and not forsake, that he can bring refreshment even into the barren place, opening rivers where we saw only dry ground. We are not forsaken in our thirst; God provides for the needy, bringing water to the wilderness. God brings refreshment to the barren place and does not forsake the needy. To the parched and resourceless, God promises water and faithfulness. God can open rivers in our wilderness; he does not forsake us.

That is worth resting in, for God answers the needy and does not forsake them, bringing refreshment even to the barren place. We can be parched and needy, seeking and finding nothing, without resource of our own, feeling forsaken in a wilderness; but God promises to the poor and needy that he will answer them and not forsake them, opening rivers on the bare heights and making the wilderness a pool of water. God provides for the needy and brings water to the dry place. When you are parched and without resource, remember that God answers the needy and does not forsake them. Rest in the truth that God answers the needy and does not forsake them, bringing refreshment even to the barren place, as he promised the poor and needy who sought water and found none, their tongues failing for thirst, that he the LORD would answer them and not forsake them, opening rivers on the bare heights and springs in the valleys and making the wilderness a pool of water; for we can be parched and needy, seeking and finding nothing, without resource of our own and feeling forsaken in a wilderness, but God promises to the needy who have nothing that he will answer them and not forsake them, that he can bring water where there was none and refreshment into the barren place, so that we are not forsaken in our thirst but can trust the God who opens rivers in the wilderness to provide for us and not abandon us.

Lord, to a people who are like the poor and needy seeking water and finding none, their tongues parched with thirst, you give a tender promise: you yourself will answer them and not forsake them, opening rivers in the barren places. The poor and needy seek water, and there is none, you say; their tongue fails for thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water. To the thirsty and needy who have no resource of their own, you promise to bring water where there was none, refreshment in the barren place, and not to forsake them. Show me to whom this promise is given, and what it promises. It is given to the poor and needy, those seeking water and finding none, without resource of their own. And to these you promise: I will answer them; I will not forsake them; I will open rivers in the barren heights. You promise to provide refreshment where there was none, to bring water to the dry place, to meet the need of the needy who have nothing. This speaks to me in my own times of barrenness and need, when I am parched and without resource, seeking and finding nothing. To such you promise that you will answer and not forsake, that you can bring refreshment even into the barren place, opening rivers where I saw only dry ground. Let me rest in that, for you answer the needy and do not forsake them, bringing refreshment even to the barren place. When I am parched and without resource, feeling forsaken in a wilderness, help me remember that you answer the needy and do not forsake them, Lord, opening rivers in the wilderness, so that I am not forsaken in my thirst but can trust you to provide for me and not abandon me.