Caffeinated Crunchy Christian Moms

Read: Isaiah 34-39

Just a reminder as we read today: the book of Isaiah was written roughly 700 years before the birth of Jesus. That alone is incredible. As we read these chapters, we’re seeing prophecy, warning, promise, and hope, centuries before Christ came.

Today’s reading covered a lot of ground, and different things stood out to me. As you read, different things may stand out to you. I always encourage praying before you open your Bible, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you, to point out what you specifically need to read and understand. Don’t be afraid to grab a pen or highlighter and take notes. Sit with and reread what catches your attention.

“Come near, you nations, and listen; pay attention, you peoples! Let the earth hear…” -Isaiah 34:1

Listen. Pay attention. Hear. When God repeats Himself, it’s important. There are other times in the Bible that we read about listening and paying attention. Chapter 34 focuses on judgment against the nations. We know God is loving and gracious, but He is also holy. He has wrath against sin because He is incompatible with it. Both truths can exist at the same time.

Then in chapter 35, the we see a shift from judgement to hope, restoration, and redemption. There is joy in redemption and there is beauty in being restored to a relationship with the Lord.

“Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come… he will come to save you.’” -Isaiah 35:3–4

When life is hard or challenging, and we’ve all had our fair share, it can feel like God won’t show up. Scripture reminds us that He will come. God has a plan and a purpose; one that can be nearly impossible to grasp when things are painful or heartbreaking, but His Word continually points to His faithfulness.

“Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish.” -Isaiah 38:17

That perspective is hard-earned and hard to even understand. It’s often only in hindsight that we can see how God used suffering for growth, protection, or refinement, if we get to that point at all. I am not perfect at this, far from it. However, I felt the need to highlight that verse today. I do my best to keep my eyes on the Lord, and when I fail, I repent and return to Him.

“And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way…” -Isaiah 35:8

The capitalization of Way and Holiness stands out. It immediately makes me think of Jesus, the set-apart path, the holy way to the Father. Walking that road means choosing to live set apart from the world, building a relationship with God, following His commands, and allowing the Holy Spirit to shape our hearts, minds, and souls.

God loves us and is faithful. In chapter 37, King Hezekiah prays:

“Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, Lord, are God.” -Isaiah 37:20

Some manuscripts translate that as “you alone are the Lord,” but the meaning is clear, He is the only true God. The only one worthy of our trust and the only one capable of fulfilling His promises. Our Creator. Our Father.

“This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised.” -Isaiah 38:7

We make promises and break them. We are imperfect and sinful and live in the world. But God! But God is perfect. When He makes a promise, He keeps it. That consistency is something that we can fully rely on.

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” -1 John 4:16

“Parents tell their children about your faithfulness.” -Isaiah 38:19

That verse feels personal and resonates with me as a mother. The life I’ve lived, the highs and lows, the prayers answered, the seasons, all shape my faith. As I raise my children, I want them not just to hear about God in theory, but to see His faithfulness lived out in our home.

My mom raised me in the church. She taught me right from wrong and used the Bible to guide us morally. She would say, “Because the Bible says so,” and “We do this because we’re Christians.” In more depth and various ways. A lot of what I did growing up was rooted in knowing God was watching and wanting to obey Him. Sometimes that obedience came more from fear than relationship. It was real, but maybe not always rooted in love the way that I more so understand it now.

As a mom, I want to share more than rules. I want to share stories. I want my kids to hear how God has carried us. My husband, who just got out of the Army in October, has been working through some VA processes after deployment. It wasn’t the worst situation imaginable, but it also wasn’t easy. He openly shares how he relied on God during that time, how he prayed, how he felt protected, how his faith helped him to keep going. By God’s grace, he made it home to us. Sadly, not everyone did.

I don’t believe that God desired tragedy for anyone. Unfortunately, we live in a broken, sinful world where free will exists and pain happens. My husband believes God’s hand was on him. We have talked about how we wish more people had that same hope in God; that maybe there would be fewer suicides and fewer silent battles carried alone.

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Isaiah reminds us that God is holy. He judges sin, but He also redeems, restores, and keeps His promises. As parents, we are called to tell the next generations about His faithfulness, not just in theory, but in testimony. That is the legacy that I want to leave.

Discussion Questions

1. Isaiah 34:1 says to “listen,” “pay attention,” and “hear.” Why do you think God repeats this command so often in Scripture?
2. Isaiah 38:19 says, “Parents tell their children about your faithfulness.” What are specific ways you can share God’s faithfulness with the next generations?
3. What promises of God are you currently holding onto?

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