Isaiah 54

This is one of those passages that I know I’ve read before since I’ve worked my way through the Bible more than once in my time. But this opening passage from Isaiah 54 has never stuck out to me—perhaps it does now because between the last time I read it and this time, I’ve become a mother:

“‘Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,’ says the Lord. ‘Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.’” (vs 1-3)

Only a God like our God would tell a barren woman to sing for joy because her house won’t be big enough to hold all her kids and their families when they want to come over for Christmas dinner. Only a God like our God can look at a barren woman and see a mother. That’s because He sees us, not as we are, but as we will be.

How can God be so sure of what we will be? Because when we place ourselves fully and freely in His hands, the work that will be done in our lives is His work. And He knows just what He will do and when He will do it. He knows the right thing to do and the right time to do it. Paul called Jesus the “author and finisher of our faith” (Heb 12:2), promising that “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it” (Phil 1:6).

When you come to God, you are not defined by your past or even your present situation. God Himself defines you, and He sees you as you will be. The world may see a barren woman, but God sees a mother of many children. The world may see an unemployed man, but God sees a thriving and productive worker. The world may see an outcast, but God sees someone who is in His inner circle. The world may see a loser, but God sees a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

So, the question is not, What do others see when they look at me? It is not even, What do I see when I look in the mirror? The question is, What does God see when He looks at me? And the answer is, He sees you as you will be. He sees perfection, because that’s the only quality of work He produces!