Resting In God's Lap

Isaiah 66:10-16

What a beautiful sight it is to see a mother lovingly hold her young child in her lap!  Maybe she’s nursing the child, or gently rocking the young one, softly singing a lullaby.  Perhaps she’s reading a picture book or playing a simple game like peekaboo. If one had a loving mother these sights can bring back comforting memories.  In our passage of Scripture today from the Book of Isaiah, God’s love and comfort is compared to that of a loving mother.

Throughout Israel’s history, the people cycled between faithfully following the Lord and straying away in disobedience and idolatry.  After the kingdom split in two, the northern kingdom of Israel as a whole strayed away from following the Lord permanently, though there was always a faithful few here and there that stayed true.  The southern kingdom of Judah continued to waver back and forth, sometimes true to God, often not true to Him. Due to their unfaithfulness to Him, both kingdoms (at separate times) were punished by God, where He allowed the land to be conquered and the people taken into exile.  Judah would eventually return to the land, but the northern kingdom of Israel never would.

The Lord spoke to His people through the prophet Isaiah, telling them that there would be a time when He would gather His people to Himself, all believers, Jews and Gentiles, just like a mother gathers her child into her arms.  God will be to His believing people like a mother who holds her children on her lap, delighting in them and they in Him, just like a nursing mother (vs. 10-11).

When a child gets into serious trouble, a father might give up on the child or get furious.  Many times that is the case, whereas the mother, instead, weeps for her child, ready to believe in and hope for him, believing the best.  It’s her baby. God did not forsake Israel, even when they sinned and went into exile. When we fall into any sort of sin, we need to come to God in repentance, just like a sorrowful child comes to their loving parent and is forgiven.  Perhaps our earthly parents were not so loving or forgiving, and we may fear God will be harsh like they were to us. God is the perfect loving parent to us, and He will gather us into His arms in love and forgiveness, if only we would come to Him!  Just like a mother knows how to soothe her child when no one else can, so God can comfort us in any distress.  He can give us perfect peace when we trust Him (Isaiah 26:3).

The picture Isaiah paints is one of peace.  The peaceful scene of a mother and baby in her arms.  Or a peaceful, gentle river that comes flowing in, bringing strength and blessing to thirsty souls, Jewish and Gentile (vs. 12).  Blessings will come to those who faithfully follow God, but wrath to those who oppose Him. Those who refuse to come to a cool freshwater stream for a refreshing drink are out of luck and remain thirsty, getting nothing.  A bad-tempered and combative child who refuses to rest in his mother’s arms gets put in “time-out”. There will come a time when the judgment of God will fall upon unbelievers. At that time His wrath will be great (vs. 15-16).  Those who remain faithful to God will receive life, joy, and peace, more than they could imagine. The unbelievers will receive judgment and death. God cannot overlook sin, and He will punish it. The faithful will know God’s eternal blessings.

If you admit it, isn’t there times you wish you could crawl into God’s lap, and be comforted in His loving arms?  Maybe your life has been a troubled one, with many sins weighing you down. There’s forgiveness and comfort to be found in His arms.  Maybe there has been so many burdens and problems in your life. Like a weary and tired child who has had a rough and difficult day, crawl into the lap of your Heavenly Father and find rest and comfort!