Pleasant Stone Devotional Meditation: September 7

“I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee…” ~ Isaiah 42:6a

The cause for the singing in this “green stone” verse is the use of the past tense in one facet, and the future in another. “I the Lord have called thee …” “Thus saith God the Lord, he that createth the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread for the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it …” This Lord called you!

“I the Lord … who created the heavens and stretched them out … have called thee.”

“I the Lord …[who] spread forth the earth … have called thee.”

“I the Lord … that giveth breath unto the people … have called thee.”

This same Lord adds another melody to your song by reminding us that He has already called. He is not still making up His mind. He has called all who will come – “ … him who cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out.”

“One melody line in the past tense in the joyful fact that God has already called and another in the future certainty that He will not only keep us, He will do it in a most intimate and personal and reassuring way:

“I the Lord have called thee … and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”