You who bring good news to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
Isaiah 40:9–11
What a joy it has been to study the character of God together. When we can take time to focus on who God is and what He is doing in our lives, it overflows in our lives. We not only want to share it with others, but we want to proclaim it to everyone around us!
I love this passage in Isaiah. It is pointing to the coming of the Messiah and the forerunner who would proclaim His arrival. We know this is John the Baptist, a man who called the people of Israel to repentance and prepared the way for Jesus and His ministry. But when this was written, the people of Judah had not been keeping God’s laws, and they were facing destruction and oppression by a powerful enemy. Isaiah brought good news to the people, proclaiming that even though God was going to discipline them for their sin, He would restore them and care for them.
Even though the people of Judah were about to experience the discipline of God, they were reminded that God is good and holy and cares for His people. He promised to gather them together again and restore them. And a few hundred years later, John the Baptist proclaimed these things again. He warned the people about their sin and called them to repentance. Yet, he also told them about the goodness and compassion of God, of the Messiah who had come to take away the sins of the world.
When we proclaim the character of God, it gives peace and comfort to those around us. When we remind our friends of what God has done in the past, we offer them hope and comfort in a difficult circumstance. When we share with an unbelieving friend why we follow Jesus and how He has changed our lives, we proclaim the greatest news of all: salvation and eternal life with Him.
We’ve spent a lot of time focusing on the character of God in the last few weeks. We’ve interacted with this content in a number of ways, learning it ourselves, applying it to our daily lives, and sharing it with others. But what would happen if we proclaimed it? What would happen if we, like Isaiah or John the Baptist, proclaimed the truth of God’s character and the work of Christ to the world? How would our families, communities, and nation be changed?
Proclaiming the truth of God’s character does not have to be a grand event. It can be, but we can also proclaim it in less obvious ways. We can proclaim the truth of God’s character by the way we speak, the way we spend our money and our time, and the way we care for others. When God opens doors for us or prompts us to share the gospel, may we be ready to share with everyone the truth of who He is and what He has done for us.
This week, let’s grow in our understanding of who God is by proclaiming His character. With whom can you share what God has done for you? How can you encourage a friend or neighbor or family member with the truth that God loves them, cares about them, and has a plan for their life? Ask God for opportunities to share His love with others, and be ready to proclaim His goodness when He does!
💛 JFWomen
