Good News…
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns! Isaiah 52:7
I was praying this scripture out loud recently. Praying is an understatement. I was literally wailing out to God. Begging Him to bring some good news!
My heart was so weary and overwhelmed with all of the bad news. Text after text, newsfeed after newsfeed, phone call after phone call…
Will the bad news ever end?
As I was lamenting that scripture and the cries of my heart to The Lord, I heard a small voice deep in my heart.
The kind that makes you stop and listen.
A hush came over my heart. Like a mother shhh-ing her baby as she cries.
“I AM the Good News. Stop looking for good news everywhere else, look for Me. I Am the Good News.”
The words were not audible to my ears, they were only audible to my heart. Almost like the recalling of a memory, or the recollection of a conversation.
I knew those Words. I had read them in scripture over and over.
But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people." Luke 2:10
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn...Isaiah 61:1-2
Jesus IS The Good News.
I can stop searching high and low for joy to be found in circumstances…which are at best temporary.
My heart was revealed and open vulnerable before The Lord.
I have often made an idol out of this search for good news. This comfort that I seek has caused my heart much anxiety.
Like an addict, I would not be okay until good news came. It has been an addiction of sorts. I needed this drug of good news to comfort my hurting heart.
Desperate for good news many days, I would begin to question God’s Goodness.
Why, Lord, why??
Why can’t You just let something happen that will prove to me you are listening and that you are answering my prayer? And to be honest, to prove that You are good. Show me, God. Do something!
Seeing suffering all around me, I begin to question. I beg, I cry out, I bargain with Him….Lord, how can I make You bring something good out of this situation? What do I have to do for you to take this pain and suffering away?
All along, my heart was seeking the wrong comfort.
I wanted the good news to numb me. To soothe the aching parts. The wounded parts. The parts that just seemed to fester over and over.
but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 1 Peter 4:1
For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:5
Then, I remember, suffering is the predecessor to Good News.
Jesus.
Suffered.
Sinless, Pure, Perfect, Holy.
He suffered for our future glory. To reconcile us with God, our Father.
Not just a temporary restoration in our relationship with God…but an eternal restoration.
Suffering brings the Good News.
Suffering brought Jesus.
The world was bleeding, sinful, crying out for a Savior before Jesus Christ.
When Jesus came, He was the answer to their cries for Good News.
He is still our Good News.
May we stop seeking the world for comfort, and seek Jesus alone.
He is our Comfort.
He is Alpha, Omega, the beginning and the end.
He is also the Middle.
The suffering parts. The hard parts of our story.
He is, and always will be the Good News we so desperately seek.
Lay your head on His pillow of Peace.
You will find rest for your weary soul.
Now that’s some good news.
Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. Psalm 116:7
the search is over,
jill
