Strength For Today – Day 5

₁“Comfort my people,” says our God. “Comfort them!

₂Encourage the people of Jerusalem.

Tell them they have suffered long enough

and their sins are now forgiven.

I have punished them in full for all their sins.”

₃A voice cries out,

“Prepare in the wilderness a road for the LORD!

Clear the way in the desert for our God!

₄Fill every valley;

level every mountain.

The hills will become a plain,

and the rough country will be made smooth.

₅Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed,

and the whole human race will see it.

The LORD himself has promised this.”

₆A voice cries out, “Proclaim a message!”

“What message shall I proclaim?” I ask.

“Proclaim that all human beings are like grass;

they last no longer than wild flowers.

₇Grass withers and flowers fade,

when the LORD sends the wind blowing over them.

People are no more enduring than grass.

₈Yes, grass withers and flowers fade,

but the word of our God endures for ever.”

₂₈Don't you know? Haven't you heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God;

he created all the world.

He never grows tired or weary.

No one understands his thoughts.

₂₉He strengthens those who are weak and tired.

₃₀Even those who are young grow weak;

young people can fall exhausted.

₃₁But those who trust in the LORD for help

will find their strength renewed.

They will rise on wings like eagles;

they will run and not get weary;

they will walk and not grow weak.

“Do not be afraid — I will save you.

I have called you by name — you are mine.

₂When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you;

your troubles will not overwhelm you.

When you pass through fire, you will not be burnt;

the hard trials that come will not hurt you.

₃For I am the LORD your God,

the holy God of Israel, who saves you.

I will give up Egypt to set you free;

I will give up Ethiopia and Seba.

₆Turn to the LORD and pray to him,

now that he is near.

₇Let the wicked leave their way of life

and change their way of thinking.

Let them turn to the LORD, our God;

he is merciful and quick to forgive.

₈“My thoughts,” says the LORD, “are not like yours,

and my ways are different from yours.

₉As high as the heavens are above the earth,

so high are my ways and thoughts above yours.