The Lord has comforted his people

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Always With Me

iAmSon

Today is Wednesday the 18th of March, in the fourth week of Lent.

IamSon sings, ‘Always With Me’. How is God with you today, accompanying you on your journey?

I can make through the day

When you're with me on the way

In my heart and mind you'll stay

I can make it through the night

When I'm clinging to your light

You will make the darkness bright

For you are always, always with me

For you are always, always with me

In the calm and in the storm

When it seems I'm all alone

It's your hand I find to hold

In each hour of unrest

When it seems I've nothing left

You speak peace in every breath

For you are always, always with me

For you are always, always with me

In the morning, in the evening

When I'm waking, when I'm sleeping

When I'm arriving, when I'm leaving

You will have me in your keeping

Even from my mother’s womb

Never hidden from your view

I was always known to you

When I fade away in death

You will catch my final breath

You will take me to my rest

For you are always, always with me

For you are always, always with me

3:23

Today’s reading is from the Prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah 49:8-15

Thus says the Lord:

In a time of favour I have answered you,

on a day of salvation I have helped you;

I have kept you and given you

as a covenant to the people,

to establish the land,

to apportion the desolate heritages;

saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out’,

to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’

They shall feed along the ways,

on all the bare heights shall be their pasture;

they shall not hunger or thirst,

neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them down,

for he who has pity on them will lead them,

and by springs of water will guide them.

And I will turn all my mountains into a road,

and my highways shall be raised up.

Lo, these shall come from far away,

and lo, these from the north and from the west,

and these from the land of Syene.

Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;

break forth, O mountains, into singing!

For the Lord has comforted his people,

and will have compassion on his suffering ones.

But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me,

my Lord has forgotten me.’

Can a woman forget her nursing-child,

or show no compassion for the child of her womb?

Even these may forget,

yet I will not forget you.

5:38

Waltz for the Broken Hearted

Jeff Wahl

We might call this “a poem for those who feel abandoned by God”. The people of God insist that “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me”. Have you ever felt like this?

God insists to the people that “I have answered you…I have helped you”. Sometimes when we reflect back, we’re able to see that God has been with us in unexpected places and in unexpected ways... take a moment to do this now...

“I will turn my mountains into a road”. As you listen again, reflect on what God is offering the people... Perhaps this is being offered to you today...

8:04

Isaiah 49:8-15

Thus says the Lord:

In a time of favour I have answered you,

on a day of salvation I have helped you;

I have kept you and given you

as a covenant to the people,

to establish the land,

to apportion the desolate heritages;

saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out’,

to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’

They shall feed along the ways,

on all the bare heights shall be their pasture;

they shall not hunger or thirst,

neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them down,

for he who has pity on them will lead them,

and by springs of water will guide them.

And I will turn all my mountains into a road,

and my highways shall be raised up.

Lo, these shall come from far away,

and lo, these from the north and from the west,

and these from the land of Syene.

Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;

break forth, O mountains, into singing!

For the Lord has comforted his people,

and will have compassion on his suffering ones.

But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me,

my Lord has forgotten me.’

Can a woman forget her nursing-child,

or show no compassion for the child of her womb?

Even these may forget,

yet I will not forget you.

10:10

‘...yet I will not forget you.’ Hear these words spoken to you today from the Lord. What would you like to say in return as this prayer comes to a close?

12:02

You have given all to me

To you, Lord, I return it

Everything is Yours

Do with it what You will

Give me only Your love and Your grace

That is enough for me

Amen