Return To Me

Isaiah 57:14-21

“Return to me!”  That’s a plea we might hear from a husband or wife to their estranged spouse, or a parent to their child.  In today’s reading from the prophet Isaiah we read God’s urgent call to His people to stop their backsliding and return to Him.  All of mankind is separated from God because of sin, and many of the people who have come to God for salvation have since drifted away from Him.  To both groups God calls out to return to Him.

What are the barriers keeping people from returning to God, or coming to Him in the first place?  In verse 14, He says to us to remove the stumbling blocks out of the way of the people. One barrier might be fear, the fear of punishment for one’s sins.  They might not know or believe that when we come to God for salvation, He forgives our sins and buries them in the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19). Another barrier is pride.  Pride will always keep a person from God. Sometimes He will bring some events into a person’s life to humble them, and bring them to their knees before they will turn to them.  Unfortunately that doesn’t even always work. A third stumbling block to people coming to God is other people. Are we being a barrier to people finding God? Do we have a superior, haughty attitude, ready to pick up a stone and cast it towards “those sinners”?  Do we say one thing, but behave the other way? Are our churches friendly and welcoming to everyone, regardless of their race or economic background? God says to get those stumbling blocks out of the way!

Though God is the High King of Heaven, the Creator of the universe, and all-holy, He wants us to have an intimate relationship with Him (vs 15).  He wants to bring revival into the hearts of His people. God is the one who sends true revival. It will come to those who are humble and contrite.  Pride is a major barrier in our relationship with God. In order to truly accept God’s salvation, we must humbly acknowledge our sinfulness and inability to save ourselves, and turn to Him in repentance and contrition.

When we do come to the Lord in repentance, He does promise to forgive us and take us as His children (vs 16-18).  This whole passage in Isaiah tells how God relates to those who are humble and repentant. The high and holy God came down to our level to save us because it is impossible for us to go up to His level and save ourselves.

One blessing that the Lord gives to those who are humble and contrite, who now have a relationship with Him, and that is the blessing of peace (vs 19). God calls to everyone, both far and near. Salvation is open to all, and to those who come to Him, He will bring peace and spiritual healing.

What about for those who do not turn to God?  We all wish for and seek peace, but true and lasting peace cannot be found outside of Jesus Christ (vs 20-21). God compares the lost to that of a troubled sea. The waves crash here and there, and are wild and untamable. It certainly is not peaceful.  As the Scriptures say here, there is no peace for the wicked. The unsaved, who have not experienced God’s forgiveness, do not have eternal peace.  No earthly possessions will give lasting peace. That is only found through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1; Philippians 4:7).

Listen as God calls to you.  He is calling for you to return to Him.  He promises He will not always be angry, and if you are humble and without pride, He will dwell with you and give you peace.  We all want that, don’t we?