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, 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. – Isaiah 55: 10-11

For those of us who have raised children, there were times during the process when we felt somewhat discouraged. Our words did not seem to get through to them. Even though we felt defeated, our words and training did get through to them.

We discovered the importance of our words and training when they went out into the environment. The people with whom they interacted let us know. To our surprise, our children did pay attention and our words did not fall on deaf ears.

Our text was particularly addressed to God's people who were in captivity in Babylon. They were captives in a foreign land and were losing hope in the God of their forefathers. They felt that God had abandoned them.

The prophet in these words, from the Lord, is presenting the people with hope. His words are intended to transform their fractured lives and give them confidence in the Lord, who would ultimately return them to their homeland.

Like the exiles, we tend to go in a direction away from the word of God when trouble comes our way. This is most prevalent in times of death, financial ruin, destruction of our reputation and or domestic crisis.

These are the times when we need God most. In our moment of desperation, we should seek the face of God and cry out to him. Only he can rescue us from our perils.

Little do we know; it is during these times that God is very close to us. He is guiding us, but the blindness of our situation does not allow us to see or feel God's presence.

In this text, the prophet of God is seeking to provide the exiles with a new perspective. He is helping them to look at their situation with new eyes. The rain and the snow come down from heaven. They do not return to the place of origination immediately. They linger for a while until they have refreshed the earth and make it fruitful, fertile, and beautiful.

They will accomplish the purpose for which they have been sent. Then when they have accomplished their purpose, they return to the heavens. That is God's purpose in the rain and the snow.

Like the rain and the snow, God's word goes out through the mouth of his prophets and servants. It too has a purpose and does achieve that purpose.

Often, we preach this gospel and are discouraged when we do not see any immediate change in the people to whom we are preaching. However, it is not of us to worry about God's word. He knows why he has us proclaiming his word to the people. His word will accomplish the purpose for which it went out.

Yes, even though they have lost hope, and thought God had abandoned them, he had not. He was with them and was committed to stay with them all the way back to their homeland. He is always providing strength and courage to allow his people to cope and to carry on, even in the face of adversity.

The prophet metaphorically expressed that the people would be released from their bondage and would go out rejoicing. Even the mountains and hills would burst into song before them, and all the trees of the field would clap their hands.

Not only was God committed to rescue the Jews from captivity in Babylon, but in Christ he rescues all people from the bondage of slavery to sin. The Messiah came into the world, and through him all people, including the Gentiles, find and receive salvation.

God's grace and mercy is being offered to all people, today. Jesus died for our sins, in fulfillment of this prophesy. And because he died, we receive a baptism which regenerates us. In the water of baptism, we come alive from the dead and are made a new creation. God's word accomplishes his purpose. Amen.

 • Reverend Samuel M. Boodle, pastor at the Lutheran Church of Nassau, 119 John F. Kennedy Dr can be reached at P.O. Box N 4794, Nassau, Bahamas; or telephone 426-9084; website: www.nassaulutheranchurch.org.

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