Episode 02: Why Isaiah 54:1-3
I can’t tell you why the Lord chose to drop these particular verses in my lap morning after morning nearly all last year (2022), but finally after — probably the third time — I saw what riches were hidden in these three verses.
I know in my last episode/blog I broke it down briefly, but this week I’m going to break it down even further. Verse by verse. So, I hope you’re ready for a little Bible study!
Verse 1
“‘Sing, o childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem, you who have never been in labor. For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband,’ says the LORD.”
That’s a lot to unpack! Obviously, I have never been pregnant nor have I given birth or been in labor. Three experiences I want to weep over, not sing. If I’m being honest. But the pain factor is something I can sing about because I am such a wimp with pain — and I want a natural birth, so those two don’t really go well together…haha! There’s more to sing over besides the pain. These may or may not apply to you, but here’s a few that apply to me:
Not being anxious of losing the baby
Worrying that my blood sugar is affecting the development process
Going to monthly doctor’s appointments to monitor baby and blood sugar
Pouring over the finances and wondering how we’re going to afford the time off from work and the costs that come with a newborn
Obsessively searching for a bigger house
…the list could go on but those are the top tickers for me…
What does the list sound like apart from the context of singing over it as a blessing…A TON OF ANGST!
What does the Bible say? “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV)
Am I just speaking to myself here? Because that was good and a reminder for myself to turn my worry into worship. I hope the Word reaches into your spirit and lands like a balm. Not a bomb. A balm.
“For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband.” The word “desolate” is sticking out like a sore thumb to me. The definition of “desolate” as an adjective is, “deserted of people and in a state of bleak and dismal emptiness.” That definitely sounds like my womb! As a verb it means, “make (a place) bleakly and depressingly empty or bare.” That just makes me want to cry. And ew. I can’t even allow those two definitions to rest on me because my spirit wants to fight that feeling of desolation I’ve walked out of. Like, my skin is crawling just reading those two definitions.
I’ve walked out that desolation by the grace of God, but do I have any kids yet? No. Not physically. But you want to know what type of kids I do have? Spiritual kids. Now, I know not every woman fighting infertility or barrenness is going to have the same calling and gifting to volunteer with the church kids as me. I get that. But there are ways for you to be a spiritual mother to a child in need. It took this Mother’s Day (2023) for my dad in his sermon to literally come over to where I was sitting and tell me that even though I don’t have physical kids yet, I have spiritual kids every Sunday and Wednesday at church.
Don’t underestimate the power of being a spiritual mother. I know it can’t compare to being a physical mother, but don’t you dare underestimate it.
Take joy in it.
Don’t sit in your barrness any longer. It’s lonely! Get up, dust yourself off, and get involved with a ministry at church or your community where you can pour your love on kids who need a role model in their life - one that is going to speak the truth and love of Christ. I say that in tough love my friend because I wish I had someone to say that same thing to me when I was in that place. It sucks being lonely in desolation and it sucks even more (at least for me it did) hearing and seeing people’s pity when I would tell them I was having a bad day dealing with this unfortunate reality.
I love you too much to let you sit by yourself in this place. So, take my virtual hand and let’s walk on.
I’m reminded of an episode of Bluey that I was watching when I was babysitting one of my friends' kids. The episode was of Bluey’s sister (I forget her name). She was having a bad day. Bluey came over to her and said, “Alright, what does mom always tell you? I’m gonna have myself a cry. I’m gonna pick myself up. And get back to it.” That’s what I'm trying to convey here with what I just said.
Verse 2
“Enlarge your house; build an addition. Spread out your home, and spare no expense!”
You know what this sounds like to me? A free, all day’s pass to shop - no credit card limit and no need to worry about paying it back either. Why? Because the Lord said so! He literally said, “spare no expense!”
The Lord is gracious and He knows the way to a woman’s heart is through a man’s wallet (haha!). Thank You, Lord!I don’t know about you, but I love me some retail therapy and healthy doses of “Treat Yo’ Self” Saturdays. Can we please make that a thing!? Like someone do that and tag me. Or take me along with you, like let’s go.
Zack and I currently live in a little over 1,000 sqft 1 floor, 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom townhome. So when God kept bringing me to this Scripture I couldn’t help but look through our sliding glass doors into our sunroom, and ask myself, ask my husband, ask the Lord, “Are we supposed to turn this sunroom into part of the living space?” Like, Your Word literally says, build an addition, spare no expense, spread out your home, enlarge your house…(I know I said those are out of order)…but that’s what it says right here in verse 2. That’s how it starts. Are we supposed to do this?”
I never got an answer. I know it’s possible because we’ve seen another home like ours do it, but it seems impossible because of finances. Now, there are some structural things that might make it “impossible.” Like, our dryer vent, I don’t know why, but it goes straight into the sunroom, there are wood slats above the garage, the garage door is there. So, I don’t know if it’s possible. Well, I know it’s possible. I’m not a home designer so I don’t know how to make that happen. But, I’ve seen it done.
Like I said, it seems impossible because of the finances. We want to get out of debt as quickly as possible, and adding such a huge expense is daunting. Not gonna lie. I have researched it, and honestly it doesn’t seem like it would add any value to the home if we did because of the market and comps and all that real estate lingo.
But it got me thinking, lol!
Verse 3
“For you will soon be bursting at the seams. Your descendants will occupy other nations and resettle the ruined cities.”
This verse is so encouraging. Whoa, dude I just totally had a thought - what if the Lord means my literal seams - like my clothes!? HA! That would be amazing. And just like God to bring humor and a pun into it. (Also a way to my heart, as He knows.)
I don’t know if our future kids will become missionaries or travelling evangelists, prophets, apostles, teachers, pastors, etc. The fivefold ministry, those mantels. I do’;t know. But it’s something to pray over your future descendants anyways. That the Lord’s will be done and His calling and purpose for them to be fulfilled, even if it means they won’t be near us physically.
Obviously, that’s easy for me to say now, when I don’t have any kids that I’ve opened my heart to. But, I have no idea how I’ll be if/when that time comes for them to move away. I can’t even speak to that because I haven’t welcomed a child into my heart for them to - you know - crush it like a grape when they move away. I haven’t done that yet. So, I don’t know how I’ll be. Something to also pray for now to prepare and guard my heart.
There’s no harm in praying for future events that aren’t near this present moment. Pray before panicking. Worship now instead of worrying later.
I’ll end with this. Each time you start to doubt your future children’s arrival, please remember these three verses and what they mean. And by all means, please ask the Lord for His interpretation for you. What I share is the interpretation that He has revealed to me. It’s for sharing to allow the Holy Spirit to use it to bring the same interpretation to you or as a way for Him to bring a different interpretation that’s right for you. He’s a personal God and He speaks in the way we hear Him and know Him.
That’s all for now.
