In a relationship, it's quite easy for a gap to appear, a kind of relational gap.
! And it's easy in a relationship, even in a strong relationship, for a gap to appear and problems to come.
And that's really what you've got in Isaiah 57.
You've got a relationship where there's a gap between two parties, and it could not be wider.
It's not a gap of class or income level.
It's not even kind of a little falling out or kind of relational coolness.
But there's a great gap in the end of Isaiah 57.
It concerns two things. It concerns holiness and sin.
On one side of the gap, you have God, who is holy.
And then on the other side of the gap, you have yourself, us, who are not holy, but sinners.
And the gap is insurmountable. It can't be bridged.
However, in this standing passage today, God is going to explain to us that he has done absolutely everything necessary
to bridge the gap between himself and you.
He wants to bring you to his dwelling place and to his home.
God desires to open the door of his home and welcome you in forever.
And Isaiah is going to point us to the holy God, who in order to be hospitable, heals the humble.
I don't think I've ever had four H's in my theme sentence before.
That's quite unusual. It's a stroke of genius, really.
Holy God, who in order to be hospitable, heals the humble.
It's easy to do that with P's and T's, but not so easy on H's.
So let's look at, first of all, the barrier to God's hospitality, then the means to God's hospitality,
then the result of God's hospitality.
The barrier to God's hospitality, look at verse 14.
And it shall be said, build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstacle from my people's way.
Literally, the beginning is, he will say, because it's God speaking.
And what he says in verse 14 is not that dissimilar from what he said already.
You should pick up that in Isaiah.
He kind of repeats himself quite a lot.
So remember Isaiah 40.
They're very familiar words.
God says, comfort, comfort my people.
A voice of one calling, prepare the way for the Lord.
Make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.
That's chapter 40.
And in chapter 40, Isaiah was speaking about a highway that needs to be constructed,
because the king, God the king, was coming to town.
God the king was coming to comfort his people.
And God the king would lead them home along this road after their exile.
So prepare the way for that kind of king.
And God instructs, doesn't he, he says, all the valleys be filled in.
All the mountains be levelled off and brought down.
But here in chapter 57, God is calling for another public works section, project.
And the project is not for God himself.
This highway is for his people.
But still, it's to be clearly a prominent road so that no one can miss it.
It should be free from obstacles.
No one's going to stumble on this way.
There'll be no accidents.
No highway maintenance necessary.
God says, get rid of the boulders.
I want you to get rid of those fallen trees.
I want you to fill in those gullies so that they'll no longer be in the way.
From exile in Babylon.
There'll be a road.
No, those who walk this highway have already trodden, haven't they, the path from Babylon.
The highway is to take God's people through these present trials of this life and through their struggles to their final home.
God's home.
That's what this highway is about.
It's a highway to the final destination, the kingdom of God, which lay in the future for them.
And still lays in the future for us.
It's a highway for you and I to walk on.
And it's a highway, God says, there are to be no obstacles that will prevent us ultimately.
There'll be no obstacles that will prevent us from getting to the final destination as God's people.
And that's interesting, isn't it?
Because the biggest obstacle to people making it to God's home, God's dwelling place, his kingdom, is God's holiness and our sin.
And that's what Isaiah moves right into in verse 15.
You see what he says?
For thus says the one who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy.
I will dwell in the high and holy place.
And also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit.
And again, verse 15 is a flashback.
It's a flashback to an earlier part of Isaiah.
He uses language which would remind his listeners.
We've heard this before.
And it's to point you back, isn't it, to Isaiah chapter 6.
Let me remind you of how Isaiah 6 opened.
In the year that King Uzziah died.
I saw the Lord, Isaiah says, seated on a throne, high and exalted.
And the train of his robe filled the temple.
And above him was Saras with six wings.
With two wings they covered their faces.
With two wings they covered their feet.
And with two they were flying.
And the angels called to one another, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty.
The whole earth is full of his glory.
And at the sound of their voices, the doorposts and the threshold shook.
And the temple was filled with smoke.
And Isaiah is now reminding us, in case anyone has forgotten,
through these 50 chapters that have gone past,
that who this God is.
He is the God who is in charge.
He is the God who is the rightful ruler of the universe.
And who therefore has got the ultimate authority in your life and in mine.
He is the God who is above all things.
He is exultant and resplendent.
And he is the God who is holy.
And so here in chapter 57 we're told that his name is holy.
His name has a holiness attached to it.
But here we're told he is actually called holy.
Because in the Bible names always mean something, don't they?
In the Bible a name points to a person's character, to their nature.
And God's name is holy because at his core he is holy.
That is because the seraphim, they call back and forth in the temple,
holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.
It's not enough for them to double the word in emphasis.
In essence they create a super supermative.
To express what their God is like and how holy he is.
The word holy literally means waiting.
Essentially to say that God is holy is to say that God is God.
It points to his separateness.
It points to his moral purity and perfection.
His holiness is at the very core of his identity.
It is his utterly unique divine essence.
Because it defines everything that he is.
And everything that he does.
His name is holy.
And you and I will never be able to grasp what the Bible is about.
You will never understand why you need the gospel.
You will never understand the good news of the Lord Jesus
if you don't start with God's holiness.
You won't get it.
You'll never understand the problem
unless you start with God's holiness.
And so I think that's partly the problem with it.
Why there are so many half-hearted
in church, out of church, are they Christian, are they not Christian people.
Because they've never really understood that God is holy.
P.T. Forsyth was an eminent Scottish minister and theologian
at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century.
Here's how he explains the centrality of God's holiness.
He says the holiness of God is the real foundation of religion.
It is certainly the rule and interest of the Christian religion.
In front of all our prayer or works stands,
hallowed be thy name.
God's holiness is the interest
which all the rest of it serves.
Neither love, grace and faith nor sin
has any meaning
but a passing meaning
except that they rest on the holiness of God.
Except as they arise from it
and return to it.
Except as they satisfy it.
Show it forth and set it up.
And secure it everywhere and forever.
Love
is but his holiness outgoing.
Sin
is but its defiance.
Grace
is but its action on sin.
The cross
is but its victory.
Faith
is but its worship.
The holiness of God
is the foundation of
everything.
Everything that we believe.
And that of course
leaves us in an enormous predicament.
Because to put it bluntly
God is holy
and you and I am not.
Isaiah describes us
and how God's natural attitude
is towards us.
Look at verse 17.
For I will not contend forever
nor will I always be angry
for the spirit
would grow faint
before me
and the breath
of life
I made.
Because of the iniquity
of his unjust gain
I was angry.
I struck him.
I hid my face
and was angry.
But he went on
back sliding
in the way of his own heart.
God could have pointed
to countless things
on ways in which we act
that enrage him rightly.
Here he just highlights
our sinful greed.
Specifically
the way that we
disadvantage others
in order to
advantage ourselves.
Always looking
to put number one
in the right place
so to speak.
Perhaps what is
most saddling here
is not so much
the particular sin
to which God refers
but what happens
after he punishes
those who rebelled
against him.
He says
no matter how much
I punish those
no matter how much
I warn those
no matter how much
I try to get them
to move in a different
direction
they keep going
in the same direction.
They go on
by sliding
in the way
of his own heart.
Is that what
Einstein defined
as his sanity?
Doing the same thing
over and over again
expecting different results.
And that is what we do.
We continue somehow
in the way of rebellion.
God somehow
seeks to intervene
in the person's life
from walking
their own proud way.
He tries to get
their attention
so that they will
change direction
and change course.
But what do they do?
What do we do?
Maybe God is trying
to get your attention
today.
He warns us.
He chastises us.
And we get up
and we keep going
in the same direction
as we were before.
God is holy
and we are not.
And that is a barrier
to you and I
receiving God's
hospitality and welcome.
Interestingly
God indicates here
that despite the fact
he is holy
and we are not
which creates
this barrier
he is willing
to show hospitality.
Or more specifically
he is willing
to dwell
with a certain
group of people.
Look at how he defines
that group of people
in verses 16 and 17.
For I will not
contend forever
nor will I always
be angry
for the spirit
would grow faint
before me.
And the breath
of life that I made
because of the iniquity
of his unjust gain
I was angry.
I struck him.
I hid my face
and was angry.
But he went on
in the way
back sliding
in his own heart.
Sorry
look at verse 15
this verse I should have read.
For thus says
the one who is high
and lifted up
who inhabits
eternity
whose name is holy
I will dwell
in the high
and holy place
but also with him
who is of contrite
and lowly spirit.
Do you see
who God commits
to dwelling with?
He commits
to dwell
with people
who are contrite
and who are lowly
and who are humble
and you might say
okay
so these people
are humble
but that doesn't
make them holy.
They've still
messed up
like the rest of us.
They deserve
the barrier
to hospitality
just like everybody else
and you'd be
absolutely right.
The difference is
because these people
who are humble
in their humility
have recognised
their sin
and they've recognised
what has caused
the barrier
they acknowledge
their abject
shortcomings
before God
they recognise
that God is God
and that they are not
and so they come
humbly before God
they have nothing
which is in contrast
to how Isaiah portrays
the bullish
and the wicked
the rebellious
because one of the traits
of that kind of person
is that
they're not humble
they are proud
Lewis Smeet
describes the opposite
side
to a contrite
and lonely spirit
listen to what he says
he says
pride in the spiritual sense
is a refusal
to let God
be God
it is to grab
God's stages
for your own self
it is turning down
God's invitation
to join the
dance of life
as a creature
in God's world
and wishing instead
to be the creator
independent
relying on your own
resources
that is the greatest
delusion
the delusional
fantasy of all
fantasies
the cosmic put on
you see the proud
person is the person
who defines
the rules
by which they live
in a small way
or a big way
the proud person
always wants to
insist
they are right
the proud person
wants to think
that their record
in life
will somehow
be good enough
for God
to accept
the proud person
sees ultimately
no need
for God
in life
because they've
got it all
figured out
and they don't
want to be
dependent upon
anyone else
and God
says
I'm sorry
but for that
kind of person
I do not have
any accommodation
in my dwelling
place
for people
who are
proud
there's no room
but I delight
to dwell
with the humble
and the contrite
the lowly
and so God
in this way
is not like
most people
upward mobility
is the name
of the game
there would be
no neighbourhood
too classy
for us to live
if we had
the money
but God
shows that
he doesn't
value upward
mobility
he values
downward
mobility
it's not
because God
feels uncomfortable
dwelling in the
high and holy
place
which Isaiah
speaks of
it's not
because he
feels
out there
on his
own
it's not
because he's
somehow bothered
with his
surroundings
and he's lonely
after all these
years of eternity
no he values
downward mobility
because down
low
down low
is where God
finds people
that are open
to him
and so to the
extent in which
you are resistant
to God
the extent that
you might be
unwilling to be
open to God
that extent
is the indicator
of how much
pride is still
dominant in your
life
because it is
the humble
and the lowly
who God
invites to
dwell with
him
and that is
all very well
God is holy
and we are
not
God does
not
God does
invite those
to dwell
with him
because they
are humble
and contrite
but the question
is how can
they do that
if he is
holy
how can God
invite people
to travel on
this highway
to his dwelling
place when
this massive
gap still
exists
and so we
look at the
means to
God's
hospitality
and Isaiah
shows us
here God
can do it
because he
is the
holy God
who in
order to be
humble
hospitable
heals
the humble
he heals
the humble
two steps
so how does
God do it
number one
God acquits
the guilty
he acquits
the humble
look at
verse 16
for I
will not
contend
forever
nor will
I
always
be
angry
for the
spirit
would
grow
faint
before
me
and the
breath
of life
that I
made
he
says
he
enters
in
doesn't
he
to a
kind of
legal
proceeding
against
someone
and God
says
there will
come a
time
when I
will not
just drop
the charges
because I
can't do
that
but I
will
declare
you
not
guilty
God
will
somehow
find a
way to
satisfy
his
legal
requirements
and Isaiah
says God
will also
bring an
end to
his
anger
when God
refers to
his
anger
he's not
talking about
having a
short fuse
or a
bad
temper
or a
malicious
spirit
like we
might have
it's not
some
arbitrary
action
no
his
anger
or his
wrath
is his
personal
righteous
constant
hostility
to evil
it is his
settled
refusal to
compromise
with evil
and his
resolve that
one day
completely
and utterly
he will
condemn it
which means
he will
bring an
end to it
and so
his anger
is a
rightful
anger
and he
promises to
deal
comprehensively
with evil
and God
promises here
that he
plans to
do that
and he
can only
bring an
end to
his
anger
by dealing
with it
by dealing
with the
reason for
which
for that
anger
and the
reason for
God's
anger is
our
evil
and that's
just as well
because if God
was not going
to bring his
anger to an
end it would
mean the end
of all living
things
and it would
mean the end
of you and
me
and God
promises that
he is going
to deal with
his anger
but he
acquits the
guilty
and the
second step
is the
healing
self
so look
at verse
18
he says
I have
seen his
ways
but I
will heal
him
I will
lead him
and restore
comfort to
him and his
mourners
creating the
fruit of the
lips
peace
peace to
the far
and to
the near
says the
Lord
and I
will heal
him
now let's
just hit
the pause
button for
a moment
I think
what is God
saying here
literally he
says I've
seen his
ways
but I
will heal
him
and it's
interesting he's
talking about
individuals here
he's not talking
about a mass
of people
he's talking
about you
and he's
talking about
me
he says I've
seen your
ways
but he knows
absolutely
everything about
you
he's seen
the good
and he's
seen the
bad
he's seen
the ugly
he's seen
the successes
he's seen
the celebration
he's seen
the devastation
and the
disasters
he's seen
it all
he sees
how your
thinking works
he sees
what you're
thinking right
now
he says stop
thinking about
lunch for a
minute
he knows
exactly
what you're
thinking
he knows
your heart
he knows
what you
long for
he says
don't you
know
that
that's
idolatry
to be
longing
for
all that
all the
time
and then
having said
that
he says
these
momentous
words
but I
will heal
him
I've
seen his
ways
but I
will heal
him
and that
is those
God says
who come
to me
in humility
those who
come with
contrite
broken
hearts
knowing
that the
only thing
that they
contribute to
their salvation
is their
sin from
which they
need to be
forgiven
and God
says I
will heal
them
God says
to every
person here
this morning
I've seen
your ways
everything
yes even
that
I've seen
that too
but if you
will come
to me
and come
with humility
and come
with a
broken
heart
I will
heal
you
Isaiah
in this
chapter
doesn't
explain
how
he
will
do
that
but he
did
in Isaiah
chapter 53
because in the
suffering servant
that chapter
about Jesus
the suffering
servant says
to those who
will trust
their lives
to him
I have
seen your
ways
but I
will heal
you
by dying
for you
Isaiah
53
by his
stripes
you
are healed
and Jesus
adds to the
promise here
the first
clause
for the
suffering
servant
to say
I've seen
your ways
remind us
what happened
reminds us
what happened
to Jesus
in the
garden of
Gethsemane
that night
before Jesus
was crucified
think about it
from Matthew's
gospel
we read
that Jesus
began to be
sorrowful
and troubled
and the word
trouble has got
the kind of
sense of the
word horror
mental and
spiritual
anguish
that Jesus
must have
felt this is
going to kill
me even
before he
got to the
cross
and he
tells Peter
and James
and John
that his
soul was
overwhelmed
with sorrow
to the point
of death
and in addition
to that
Luke tells
us that he
sweats
great drops
of blood
medical experts
say that it
is unusual
but possible
for blood
to pour out
of your
pores
together with
sweat
and they're
experiencing
severe shock
so what's
the deal
why is he
like that
it's not as
if Jesus
had some
new information
in the
garden
no
Jesus
doesn't say
in the goodness
oh my goodness
this is really
going to happen
I didn't think
this was going
to really
happen
he knew
he was going
to die
and why
he would
die
so it
wasn't that
the night
suddenly went
on in the
garden
and he
realised
what was
happening
it was
Jesus
a wimp
you contrast
that with
countless other
people who
have died
for what they
believe in
people who
have died
in the name
of Jesus
have shown
what looks
like more
poise and
more peace
doesn't it
than Jesus
does
the French
Huguenots
they were
burnt at the
stake
and they
would lean
into the
flames
to burn
the cloth
that was
covering
their mouths
so they
could continue
singing praise
to God
as they
were burned
Hugh Latimer
the English
reformer
said to
Nicholas Ridley
as they
were being
burned
be of good
cheer
Mr Ridley
we shall
by God's
great grace
light such a
candle in
England
that I
trust
shall never
be put
out
here is
Jesus
though
distressed
trouble
sweating
blood
reeling
in sorrow
what's the
deal
why the
agony
the answer
is because
of what
he saw
in the
garden
Matthew
tells us
at one
point in
the garden
Jesus
fell with
his face
to the
ground
and he
prays
to his
father
if this
is
possible
may
this
cup
be
taken
from
me
yet
not as
I
will
but as
you
will
and you
say
well what
cup
is he
talking
about
is it
a
physical
cup
well of
course
it's
not
no Jesus
is referring
to that
cup
that the
Bible
speaks of
in the
Old
Testament
as the
cup
of the
wrath
of God
on human
sin
and evil
and at that
point Jesus
gets a
glimpse
a preview
of the
depth of
our sin
for which
he would
die
and he
gets a
preview of
God's
wrath
that was
going to be
poured out
upon him
because of
your sin
and my
sin
and he
recoils
in shock
he gets
a preview
of what
it would
mean for
him to
descend
into
death
as the
creed
says
of the
hell he
would
suffer
and he
shudders
in anguish
it's not
the death
of a
martyr
like a
Huguenot
or Latimer
or Ridley
as horrible
as those
deaths
it is
Jesus
seeing your
sin
and my
sin
seeing the
deserved
wrath
and punishment
that sin
deserved
and saying
yes
father
I have
seen
their
ways
I have
seen
their
ways
but will
heal
them
I will
die
for
them
the
Lord
is the
holy
God
who in
order to
be
hospitable
has
committed
to
heal
the
humble
and so
from that
true
diagnosis
to this
graceful
remedy
I will
heal
he says
and God
then points
us to
the result
of this
hospitality
thirdly
what happens
when we
get as we
are received
into this
dwelling place
there again
at verse
18
to verse
21
I have
seen
his ways
but I
will
heal
him
I will
lead
him
and restore
comfort
to him
in his
mourners
creating the
fruit of
the lips
peace
to the
far
and to
the
near
says
the
Lord
and I
will
heal
him
but the
wicked
like the
tossing sea
for it
cannot be
silent
and its
waters
toss up
mire
and dirt
there is
no peace
says my
God
for the
wicked
so you
see having
healed
the
humble
God
then leads
to a new
way of
life
a new
lifestyle
God
says I'm
now
committed
to lead
you
24
7
I'm
never
going to
abandon
you
I'm
always
going to
be with
you
and he's
going to
lead us
to a
completely
different
relationship
with himself
described
here as
comfort
for the
mourners
comfort
for those
who mourn
over sin
and repent
and turn
to him
but if you
want one
word
to summarise
one word
to summarise
what does
it mean
to dwell
in God's
house
to have
God's
hospitality
to move
in with
God
into his
dwelling
place
God gives
us one
word
in fact
he gives
it twice
and it's
the word
peace
verse 19
Shalom
it's a word
that has
at its root
wholeness
and well
being
and it
points us
to a
flourishing
and a
fulfilment
in every
area of
life
in your
spiritual
life
in physical
life
in emotional
life
in cultural
life
it's a
word that
has everything
to do with
wholeness
in your
relationship
with God
and our
relationship
with one
another
but God
says that
peace is
forfeited
by one
group in
the world
and it's
lavished upon
another
it's forfeited
by the wicked
verse 21
no rest
for the wicked
we normally
say that
don't we
tongue in
cheek
I'm so
busy
I'm so
busy
there's no
rest for the
wicked
but there's
nothing
tongue in
cheek
about
Isaiah
57
because
based on
what Isaiah
has told us
in this
chapter
the wicked
are not
the contrite
and they
are not
the humble
and they
do not
turn to
God
and they
say I
will live
life my
way
I'll do
things my
way
I'm happy
to go to
church
but I
don't want
you in
my life
Lord
I don't
need you
and God
says to
those people
fair enough
but if
you're
wondering
why your
life feels
like constantly
stormy seas
it's restless
and turbulent
with waves
raking up
mire and mud
that is why
but as long
as you keep
generating sludge
in your life
through your
pride and your
self-righteousness
and your greed
there will be
no peace
and peace
is forfeited
by the wicked
but to those
who humbly
come before
God in
repentance
and faith
well both
far and
near
Paul picks
up on that
in Romans 2
in a prophecy
of the gospel
he says it's
for Jews
and for Gentiles
far and near
for those kind
of people
there is peace
in fact there's
peace
to magnitude
to express
it
the excellence
of this
peace
is repeated
peace
in its
fullness
peace
with God
and peace
with one
another
and peace
with ourselves
sometimes it's
hard to know
what peace
the writer is
focusing on in the
bible
which pieces of
peace is he
talking about
but I think here
it's obvious
because he repeats
I will heal him
in the singular
and so the
emphasis
I think in
Isaiah 57
falls on
personal peace
but that is
God's commitment
to those who
come and dwell
with him
and that is a
good place to
land up as we
finish
because I am
guessing that for
many of us here
we would count
ourselves among
those whom God
has healed
we would say
yes that's me
those whom God
has rescued from
sin
those whom God
has been and
is being hospitable
but when we
describe the
experiences of
the wicked
where life
constantly feels
like stormy
seas and
restless and
turbulent
there are some
of us out there
that think to
ourselves
I know God
has rescued me
I know I'm no
longer in the
category of the
wicked but that
description feels
awfully like what
my life is like
and you say I
long to know
what that peace
feels like in
my life
because right
now I'm not
peaceful at
all
what I want to
say to you
what you've seen
in the book of
Isaiah is that
knowing peace
in the Christian
life
is not to
bracket out
but to bracket
in
what do I mean
most people
today when they
talk about finding
peace in their
life
they almost
always think
that it is
removing
certain thoughts
and they think
it's removing
certain actions
that peace
is to do
with the
removal of
certain thoughts
or situations
and that way
of peace is
always going to
come down to
techniques
and so that
is why most
books on
stress or
anxiety or
worry
will suggest
you techniques
like relaxation
or work life
balance or
sitting on a
beach
watching the
waves
doing yoga
regularly
and so that
you can bracket
out everything
else in your
life
you remove the
source of stress
and tension
in other words
peace will come
to you as you
are able to get
rid of those
stressful thoughts
and as pleasant
and as helpful
as those things
may be
the problem is
they always
over promise
they promise you
something that
they cannot
provide
in fact to try
and bracket
out and to
repress our
worries and
anxieties
actually leads
to them finding
other outlets
doesn't it
and it leads
to unhealthy
and damaging
patterns in
life in
other areas
some people
would say
you just need
to have a
more pragmatic
approach
you know
why worry
all the worry
in the world
isn't going to
make a difference
is it
you said that
I said that
but you're the
one who's anxious
and worrying
well you know
that's true
don't you
people who worry
and are anxious
that's stupid
they know that
all the worrying
in the world
isn't going to
make a difference
but that doesn't
solve the problem
of worrying
it doesn't
deal with a
particular situation
that you're
worried about
it's not very
helpful at all
but whatever
approach is used
by people to
try and find
peace and it's
not only some
variation on
those themes
it's to bracket
out everything
that's causing
you anxiety
the problem
is this
your mind
and your
heart
and my
mind
and my
heart
are anxiety
producing
factories
and we
never manage
to get rid
of it
but you see
the peace
that God
promises you
is something
completely different
because this
peace Isaiah
says is a
result of
God's
hospitality
it's a
result of
moving in
with God
it's a
result of
God
receiving
and dwelling
with us
in other
words in
Isaiah 57
and throughout
the Bible
peace is not
the absence
of something
but it's the
presence of
someone
Christian peace
is not about
the absence
of something
but about
the presence
of someone
Christian peace
is not about
expelling
some negative
thoughts
because when
you do that
all you're doing
is living in
denial
you're trying
to ignore
reality and not
being willing
to face it
so how does
Christianity
approach the
peace that we
long for
here is how
if you are a
Christian you
don't bracket
out you
bracket in
you think of
the big picture
and so instead
of some
technique you
think through
the ultimate
truth that you
know
and the
implications of
those truths
that enable you
to triumph
over restlessness
and triumph
over anxiety
and stress
and fear
and the truth
that Isaiah
is pointing
us to
here is
the presence
of someone
the presence
of someone
who says
I've seen
your ways
I know
everything about
you but I've
healed you
it's the presence
of the one
who says
I've seen
your ways
but I've
died for you
and if the
Father and the
Son and the
Holy Spirit
they saw the
worst of you
they saw the
worst of you
at its blackest
are your
darkest and
most rebellious
but they
loved you
and the
cross of
Jesus Christ
shows you
that
so much
that they
would live
together with
you by
their spirit
and they
would heal
you
if he knows
all that
and yet he
loves you
why would you
ever doubt
that he's
going to take
care of you
now
and so you
bracket in all
those glorious
truths and all
through the Bible
you've got more
truths to bracket
in and your
brackets are
bulging if you
do it right
but God is
for me
and God is
with me
and God has
done everything
so that I can
know his peace
right now
that when I'm
doubtful he
strengthens my
faith
that when I'm
lonely he is
the closest
friends
that when I'm
restless he
helps me find
my rest in
him
and as a
Christian you
don't bracket
out to find
peace
you bracket
in
and you find
that the Lord
is the holy
God
he is the
holy God
who in order
to be hospitable
to you
has healed
you
he's healed
the humble
and he gives
you his peace
let's pray