Embracing God’s Marvelous Love: A Message of Hope from Isaiah 30:18 God’s Promise to His People 

Isaiah 30:18 For this reason the Lord is still waiting to show his favour to you

so he can show you his marvellous love.

He waits to be gracious to you.

He sits on his throne ready to show mercy to you.

For Yahweh is the Lord of justice,

faithful to keep his promises.

Overwhelmed with bliss are all

who will entwine their hearts in him,

waiting for him to help them.

Introduction: Today we find encouragement in the words of Isaiah 30:18, as we explore the promise of God’s favour, love, and mercy. In this verse, we discover a glimpse of the heart of our Heavenly Father, who patiently waits to pour out His blessings upon His people. Let us delve into Isaiah 30:18 from The Passion Translation and allow its message to resonate within our hearts.  The other Bible verse I want you to understand is Romans 2:4 but first let us look into Isaiah 30:18.

The Lord’s Waiting: A Divine Expression of Love:

The verse begins with the remarkable declaration that “the Lord is still waiting to show his favour to you.” How extraordinary is the patience and love of our God! Even in our moments of weakness and waywardness, He patiently waits for us to turn to Him, ready to pour out His favour and blessings upon our lives.

Marvelous Love:

God’s waiting is not passive; it is an expression of His marvellous love. He longs to bestow His love upon us, not because of our merits or achievements, but simply because He is a God of boundless love and grace. His love is beyond measure, and it surpasses our comprehension. When we fully grasp the depth of His love, our hearts are transformed, and we find ourselves overwhelmed by His goodness.

Graciousness and Mercy:

As the verse continues, we are reminded that God’s waiting is an invitation to experience His graciousness and mercy. He sits on His throne, ready to pour out His favour and kindness upon us. Our Heavenly Father is just and faithful, always keeping His promises. In His unwavering justice, He extends mercy and forgiveness to those who seek Him with sincere hearts.

The Joy of Those Who Wait in Him:

Isaiah 30:18 concludes with a captivating image of those who choose to entwine their hearts with God and eagerly wait for His help. Their hearts are filled with overwhelming bliss as they rest in His presence and trust in His unfailing love.

Intertwining Hearts with God:

To entwine our hearts with God means to establish an intimate and dependent relationship with Him. It involves surrendering our will to His, seeking His guidance and wisdom, and aligning our desires with His purpose for our lives.

Waiting with Expectation:

Waiting upon the Lord is not a passive or idle waiting. It is an active posture of trust and expectation. Those who entwine their hearts with God eagerly await His help, fully confident that He is faithful to fulfill His promises. They find strength in the waiting, knowing that God’s timing is perfect and His ways are higher than their own.

Overwhelmed with Bliss:

The reward of waiting upon the Lord is a joy that surpasses understanding. Those who anchor their hope in Him find themselves overwhelmed with bliss. It is a deep and abiding happiness that springs forth from knowing that God is with them, working all things together for their good. This bliss is not dependent on external circumstances but on the unshakable presence of God in their lives.

So to get to this amazing place with God, there is another verse we must look into which is Romans 2:4.

The Transforming Power of God’s Goodness and Freedom in Christ

The Goodness of God that Leads to Repentance (Romans 2:4):

In Romans 2:4, we encounter a beautiful truth that can transform our understanding of God’s nature and the way we respond to His love. The verse declares, “Do the riches of his extraordinary kindness make you take him for granted and despise him? Haven’t you experienced how kind and understanding he has been to you? Don’t mistake his tolerance for acceptance. Do you realize that all the wealth of his extravagant kindness is meant to melt your heart and lead you into repentance?”

God’s extraordinary kindness:

We serve a God who is not only powerful and just but is also abundantly kind. His kindness is extraordinary, extending beyond what we can comprehend. God’s kindness is not dependent on our performance or worthiness but is rooted in His nature and unconditional love for us. His goodness pursues us relentlessly, seeking to capture our hearts.  It is this kindness that grows in us and is extended to those we minister to here in Townsville Prisons

God’s kindness leads to repentance:

Repentance is not merely a consequence of fear or punishment. Rather, it is a response to the overwhelming goodness of God. His extravagant kindness melts our hearts and opens our eyes to the reality of our need for Him. When we encounter the goodness of God, we are moved to turn away from our sinful ways and embrace His love and forgiveness.  We have this knowledge, this experience and this is what He calls us to share with others.

Tolerance versus acceptance:

God’s tolerance of our shortcomings should never be confused with acceptance of our sinful nature. He tolerates our weaknesses and patiently waits for us to come to Him, but He longs for us to embrace His transforming power and experience His acceptance. It is in His acceptance that we find true freedom and restoration.

Conclusion: Dear friends, let us hold fast to the promise of Isaiah 30:18 and let us repent because of His great love and extravagant kindness to us.  Once we have repentance we are in right standing with God.  We become the “righteousness of God in Christ Jesus”  2 Corinthians 5:21

In the waiting, let us remember that God’s love for us is marvellous and boundless. He patiently waits to pour out His favour, grace, and mercy upon our lives. As we entwine our hearts with Him and eagerly wait for His help, we will experience a joy that surpasses understanding. May we find strength in the waiting and allow ourselves to be overwhelmed with bliss as we rest in the faithfulness of our Heavenly Father. Trust in His perfect timing, for He is the Lord of justice and the keeper of His promises.

Let us pray,

Father God, in the name of Jesus, we thank you for today, we thank you for the opportunity to worship and praise you, we thank you for your love for us all.  Bless us Lord in this coming week, bless all our family members, let your ministering angels touch them with your love and let them know they are in our daily prayers as we are away from them.  Lord give us strength and patience as we face all our trials, temptations and difficulties.  Lord bless those whose job it is to care for us and give us favour with them and with all those around us.  We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our saviour.  Amen.