Bible Studies

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The Songs
Isaiah 12:2-6 – The Candle of Salvation
Key Verses: (MSG)

• 2: “Yes, indeed – God is my salvation. I trust, I won't be afraid. GOD – yes GOD! – is my strength and song, best of all, my salvation!” – When the reality of dark times sinks in, when all seems lost as with the Israelites during the Exile, God is our salvation.
  
  
• 3: “Joyfully you'll pull up buckets of water from the wells of salvation.” – God’s grace is abundant.
  
  
• 4: “And as you do it, you'll say, ‘Give thanks to GOD. Call out His name. Ask Him anything! Shout to the nations, tell them what He's done, spread the news of His great reputation!” – As a recipient of God’s saving grace there is only one thing we can do in response; shout out His name in praise.
  
  
• 6: “Raise the roof! Sing your hearts out, O Zion! The Greatest lives among you: The Holy of Israel.” – Rejoice for God is with you.
  

Points to Contemplate:

• Has your life turned out as you had planned? Has everything in your life been happy and up-lifting? Or are there some issues that have occurred that you wish could have been different? Have you hurt loved ones without realizing it? Have you created darkness around you from anger and hate? The Israelites were being warned about their ungodliness and yet they persisted. Do you persist at your ungodliness? Do you continue to dwell in the darkness of your own creation? Is there anyway out?
  
  
• Are you afraid? Are you afraid that the things you have done in your life will never be forgiven? Do you see that “God – yes God – is your strength, your song, and best of all, your salvation?” Will you allow Him to lift you out of your times of darkness and pain? Can you reach deep into His well and joyfully pull up buckets of salvation? Have you come to realize that true salvation is only available through Jesus Christ and that all the darkness in your life is forgiven because of His love for you?
  
  
• Do you raise the roof in praise and song for God? As you come to accept His grace, His salvation, and His forgiveness, does it cause you to “shout to the nations,” telling everyone what He has done for you? Do you spread the good news that true peace and joy are available through His salvation? Does it allow you to shed your darkness, forgetting the wrongs you have done, and turn your focus only on His light? Will you sing out from your heart and joyfully accept His peace?
  

Promise of the Gospel:

Frequently we find ourselves living lives of regret. Regret because we lost our temper at a loved one; regret of a hurtful comment; or simply, regret that we didn’t love as we wish we would have. Time slips away in our lives and, suddenly, we turn around and see that there is a darkness of lost opportunities all around us. Turmoil begins to boil within as the realization that our faults and failures have created a vast emptiness. We realize that it is too late to go back. The opportunities are lost. Loved ones, hurt by our selfish actions, are not as close as we had hoped. Friendships have sputtered and gone away. The Israelites were facing this same kind of darkness; a darkness created by their own ungodliness. Isaiah teaches us that God has a well-spring of forgiveness available to us all. That we can gain peace in our hearts and forgiveness for our sins through the salvation He offers through the love of His son, Jesus Christ. When we turn and accept this forgiveness, when His peace dwells in our hearts, we can “raise the roof” in song.

For this third week in Advent, we light the Candle of Salvation.

FUMC Devotionals

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