KEEPING THE DREAM

By Marie Tschopp

“He will not grow tired and weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.” Isaiah 40:28 NIV

I could not believe it happened again. For the second time in less than a year my husband lost his job due to a plant closing.

I looked around my kitchen at the cabinets my husband installed a few years before. It was his dream to build his own home, doing the majority of work himself. Now, we were faced with selling. Thoughts of unfairness darted through my mind like shooting stars in a meteor shower.

“God, we thought it was your will to build. Why did you have us build only to sell?”

Needing an answer, I grabbed my Bible from the table and flipped pages. I sensed an urge to turn to Isaiah 40, so I did and read about the greatness of God. Verses like 18, “With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him? “ And verse 26, “…He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name, because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” (NIV).

To be honest, I felt worse—insignificant even. I doubted an all powerful creator cared what my family faced. Still, I continued to read on to verse 27, and it was as if God took my face in his hands as He said,

“Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God?”

I read the verse again and again, “…why do you say…my cause is disregarded by my God?”

I closed my eyes as the tears fell. God cared, and I knew my family would be okay no matter the circumstances.

I took a deep breath and prayed, “Thank you Lord. You are great and mighty and you really do understand.”

When I opened my eyes another verse caught my attention,

“….The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.” Isaiah 40:28 NIV

I fell to me knees and prayed, “Father, thank you for loving us so much. You tell us that nothing in our lives is insignificant to you. I choose not to worry, but to trust in your loving care.”*

*Within a week, Brian had a new job because the previous employee quit unexpectedly and without explanation). 

ISAIAH

By Marie Tschopp

This piece was written as a drama to be used before the lighting of the second Advent candle, the Candle of Peace, which represents the prophets who
foretold Jesus' birth.

ISAIAH

Oh, enough walking for an old man. I need to sit and rest a minute. Rest my weary bones. Even prophets like me, Isaiah, need to rest. Oh, you’re new to these parts. Perhaps you don’t know what a prophet is? Come closer, I will tell you.

Some think of a prophet as somebody who sees the future, and this is true, but it is far more. A prophet is Yahweh’s spokesman. He (or she as the case may be) speaks on God’s behalf to convey a message or teaching. We are role models, too. We model holiness and closeness to God, setting the standard for the entire community.

When the message Yahweh gives is one of prosperity, everyone is happy. Everyone loves the prophet. When the message is one of rebuke, the ones being rebuked often try and silence the messenger.

My name, Isaiah, means, “God is Salvation,” which is the focus behind many of my prophecies. God spoke to me in detail about the coming Messiah. My people, the Jews, have waited for centuries for the Messiah to come. We are waiting for Messiah to come and break the chains of bondage and set up his kingdom for us. The Lord spoke to me and said the virgin would conceive. He said to me, “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.”

What a great privilege to foretell about the coming Messiah! God also revealed more to me. He said, “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

It is only a matter of time before our Messiah comes. The prophecy God gave me is not what I expected. It makes me wonder if we will recognize him when he comes. Time will tell.

Enough talking. I have much traveling to do. But there is one more thing I want to say to you. The God who spoke to me, speaks to you. Be still before him and listen.