In October 2019 I was invited to write some Bible reading notes for Scripture Union’s Daily Bread, to appear at Christmas 2020.

At the time, we expected Brexit to (again) dominate the year, and many people were fearful, anxious and downright angry about all that it might entail. So as I wrote the notes, on the first few chapters of Isaiah, I was conscious that many readers might be in greater need of encouragement, and a greater need to be pointed to the eternal truths of our hope in Jesus.

These chapters lent themselves particularly well to this theme, and as I read them through again this autumn, with 2020 hindsight (yes, I said it), I was pleased to see that they had stood the test of time, and was hopeful that they might have provided some encouragement to readers at the end of a very difficult year.

Yesterday, New Year’s Eve, the passage assigned was Isaiah 12. Here it is in full. Is there any better way to step over the threshold of the year than proclaiming, ‘Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid’?

The Lord Is My Strength and My Song
12 You will say in that day:
“I will give thanks to you, O Lord,
  for though you were angry with me,
your anger turned away,
  that you might comfort me.
2 “Behold, God is my salvation;
  I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
  and he has become my salvation.”

3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 And you will say in that day:

“Give thanks to the Lord,
  call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples,
  proclaim that his name is exalted.
5 “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
  let this be made known in all the earth.
6 Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
  for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

To read the rest of my reflection on the chapter, and the rest of the series, click here.

Happy New Year.