I Will Recount – Isaiah 63:7-14

In the movie “Call of the Wild“, Buck, a St. Bernard, is mistreated by an evil owner trying to break him for use as a sled dog.  He gets away and is found and taken in by John Thornton.  I suppose you could say Buck is a rescue-dog, a dog who has been rescued.  Can rescue-dogs remember their previous owners?  iHeartdogs.com concludes “it’s safe to say they remember significant aspects of their past that could possibly include the people they spent the most time with and meaningful places they visited.”  In the movie, Buck does remember.  We’re rescue-people.  Can we recount God’s rescue of us?

I will recount the steadfast love of the LORD, the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love.  For he said, “Surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely.”  And he became their Savior.  In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.  Then he remembered the days of old, of Moses and his people.  Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock?  Where is he who put in the midst of them his Holy Spirit, who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to make for himself an everlasting name, who led them through the depths?  Like a horse in the desert, they did not stumble.  Like livestock that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest.  So you led your people, to make for yourself a glorious name.  (Isaiah 63:7-14 ESV)

This, fortunately and unfortunately, is the story of all God’s people.  We have experienced God’s intimate compassion, His steadfast love, His experiencing our hurt Himself, and His presence to carry us, and we rebel against Him.

But He remembers His covenant with us through Jesus Christ and after discipline He returns to blessing us, accomplishing again what He did in the past, creating new deliverances just like those of old.  He wants to lead us and give us rest, and He will.  His discipline is always effective (Hebrews 12:11).

Discussion Questions

1. What is a story of God’s deliverance that you look to as changing your world?
2. What is the story of deliverance that Isaiah is recounting?
3. How is it possible that after we have seen and experienced God’s deliverance we can rebel against Him and grieve His Spirit?
4. What is the covenant that God has made with Christians through Jesus Christ?
5. How have you seen God’s name made glorious through His rescue of you?
6. What rescue from God do you need now?