Isaiah 54:10-14
Living a Restored Life

For the mountains may depart
        and the hills be removed,
    but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
        and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,
        says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted,
    I am about to set your stones in antimony,
    and lay your foundations with sapphires.
I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
    your gates of jewels,
    and all your wall of precious stones.
All your children shall be taught by the LORD,
    and great shall be the prosperity of your children.
In righteousness you shall be established;
    you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
    and from terror, for it shall not come near you.

New Revised Standard Version

The prophet Isaiah had two messages for God's rebellious people. The first message was a warning of the punishment that was inevidable, due to their rebellion against God. The second message was a promise of restoration when they would finally repent. God had told Isaiah that this people would not repent until their arrogance had been broken. In the same way, God had assured Isaiah that they would indeed repent and be restored.

This passage foretells that restoration in exciting terms! God's promise of restoration is more certain and enduring than mountains. God's foundation is more than simply solid, it is lavishly, spectacularly adorned with precious metals and stones. God's power and presence will be so close that not only will enemies be driven away, but God will personally take care even of the children. When God restores us, it's to make it better than new!

I believe this passage also is meant to instruct us on how to live as restored people. We only need one Foundation, and that is God. The other things in our life that we want to grab onto for assurance will fail us, whether it is money, knowledge, friends, family, or health, but God will never fail us, and God provides the ultimate, eternal assurance.

We need to be restored to righteousness, a state of "right-ness" with God, and only God can provide that righteousness. Nothing we can do can achieve it, but God willingly "establishes" us back into that state of "right-ness."

We need instruction on how to live as restored people, and that instruction should come straight from God, through whatever vessel God will choose. The wisest advisors, the most well-respected elders, and the most devout pastors are all human and fallable, and they only are appropriate instruction when God chooses to use them as the pipeline for God's Word. That applies to devotions on a web page as well, praise God! That point has been brought home to me many times, when I listen to what people say they got out of a lesson I taught or a message I gave. So often, what touched and blessed them doesn't seem to me to have anything to do with what I was saying! That is how it should be, because it means that God is teaching.

Live a life of abundance and victory in God's righteousness, securely established on God's foundation, with God as your instructor and guide!