…neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee. O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake. Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

Isaiah 54:10–17 KJV

Pastor reminded us that this prophecy was spoken to Israel during intense hardship brought on by their own disobedience and idolatry. Throughout Scripture—especially in Judges—we see God chastening Israel because they repeatedly turned away from Him. Yet God always sent messengers and signs to call them back before greater judgment came.

The same is true for us. We cannot blame others; God gives us free will. Every choice leads to a decision, and every decision leads to a destination. God wants us to choose the path that leads us to Him.

Even those who have walked with the Lord for many years must be reminded to stay on course. It may not be blatant sin—it could be an attitude, our words, or how we treat others. But God calls us to return and allow Him to do a new thing in our lives.

Pastor explained that God would use precious stones to restore Israel’s foundation. Foundations may be unseen, but they are essential. Just as skyscrapers require deep foundations to withstand storms, so must our lives be grounded in godly character—the unseen things: our integrity, our private thoughts, and our conduct when no one is watching.

God told Samuel that man looks at outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. Outward appearance matters—we represent God—but character matters most. We cannot love the world or the things of the world.

Because we have been made new, because our spiritual location has changed, we have benefits that come from being connected to God. Isaiah 54 begins with “Sing, O barren…”—a reminder that joy comes when we know we have been renewed.

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 36:26 KJV

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV

Do not let anyone—including yourself—keep you stuck in the past. Forget the things behind and press toward what is new. God is a God of restoration. When we come to Jesus, He has the power to make all things new.

So thank God for His Word. If you find yourself needing renewal today, talk to the Lord. Confess your sins. He is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse from all unrighteousness.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 KJV

Father, thank you for this brand-new morning filled with new mercies. Thank you for doing a new thing in each of our lives. Help us to believe it, receive it, and walk in it. In Jesus’ name, amen.