Breaking Apart Isaiah 55

Recently I was sitting with my Bible at Caribou and came across Isaiah 55. I'm sure I've read this before, but today I was struck by the beauty of this chapter. If you are feeling a little down, or even if you're fine and you just want to remember God's love for you, read this chapter.

I had an ah-ha moment reading verses 10-11. It says...

¹⁰ As the rain and the snow
   come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
   without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
   so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
   It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
   and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Now, usually when things are worded like this with a lot of interjections, I lose track of what was said at the beginning of the sentence. Today I was determined to make sense of it, so I reread each phrase separately, thinking of it in terms of the "Word of God" instead of rain or snow. Listen to this, my revised version:

The word of God comes down from heaven and waters the earth.
(It provides the means for growth.)

It makes the earth bud and flourish.
(Not only grow, but flower. The word of God makes things thrive and makes things beautiful.)

It yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater.
(It provides seed - the means to continue - as well as nourishment for those who hear it. The word of God is able to be ongoing.)

As I read this, I see how powerful the word of God is. It provides growth, enhances lives, is ongoing, and nourishes.

Verse 11 continues, saying that word goes out from the mouth of God and will not return empty, but will accomplish what He desires and achieve the purpose for which He sent it.

I picture the word of God in the second half of this verse as something invisible, zooming through the air, zipping in between people on a crowded street, flying around corners until it hits its target. It has an intended purpose and won't stop until it gets there.

The Word of God is so powerful and incredibly alive.  I think we forget that sometimes.