God’s Savior for Egypt—and for Us
"It will be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to the Lord because of oppressors, He will send them a savior and defender, and He will deliver them." – Isaiah 19:20
At first, I thought about how hard it has been to read about the judgment of so many nations in the book of Isaiah. It felt like watching the news—something that’s especially difficult for an optimist. The news often portrays so much evil and darkness. In Chapter 19 of Isaiah, God's severe judgment is evident in natural disasters, internal conflict, and oppression. At first glance, it seems hopeless, but as we see in verse 19, it ultimately leads to redemption.
God's judgment humbles Egypt’s pride, idolatry, and sinful way of life. But God is not a sadist. This judgment leads to repentance, ultimately leading to God’s goal: redemption. The Egyptians turn to God, and He sends them a savior and deliverer.
How This Applies to Us
Like Egypt, I have experienced seasons of harsh discipline and judgment for my sin—times that felt hopeless at first and even made me feel abandoned. However, I experienced a breakthrough when I stopped focusing on doing the right thing and instead felt drawn to be the right thing.
How does that work? Well, instead of saying, “I won’t do that,” I began declaring, “I am His son, so I don’t do that,” not because I suddenly had powerful words, but because I had the Word in my heart; I was spending more time with Him! Instead of saying, “No, I can’t,” I began saying, “I’m not interested because it’s not who I am.”
What I learned from these moments of judgment and discipline is this:
God loves me like a father loves a son and disciplines me perfectly. Every correction transforms my character forever—if I let Him—and reflects more of Him to the world.
His discipline always comes with an invitation to repent and rely on Him. When I repented and turned to God, there was (and always is) hope.
In other words, God is always ready to step in with mercy when hearts turn to Him.
Never Finished Challenge
I have a two-part challenge for you that will transform your life:
First, are your bleak circumstances controlling your life? Are they blocking your desire to reach out to God?
Reach out to Him through prayer. If you don’t have the strength, ask someone close to you to pray on your behalf. When you feel the nudge in your spirit—whether listening to a worship song, opening your Bible, asking for help, or surrendering your life to Him—jump in! Your life is about to be radically changed for good.
Second, is there a dark cloud looming over you? Are you uncontrollably anxious?
Confess your sins. Repent. Repentance means turning away—it is the doorway to healing and restoration. When we confess our sins and turn to God, His mercy meets us with forgiveness and freedom (James 5:16).
For your pocket: When we turn to God, His mercy meets us with forgiveness and freedom.
What Does Today Say About God?
God is not standing over us with a rod or a belt, scoffing at our sin and demanding retribution. Instead, He longs to show His mercy.
I remember the last time I was spanked. I was thirteen years old, and honestly, it didn’t even hurt, so it was pretty awkward 😂. Afterward, my dad hugged me and cried. It’s a humorous yet powerful story to look back on.
God is willing to discipline, allow consequences, or judge—but it’s all so He can hug and cry with you as your character transforms. It may feel like a lashing at the time, but today reminds me that we have a good, good Father.
NOTE: I understand that a father hugging a child may be a difficult image for you. I get it. I had three fathers and grew up in three different homes, so the idea of a loving and just Heavenly Father was clouded by the negative image of my earthly father (I want to note I did have good examples of earthly fathers — In the background, God was working; don’t miss it!). If redemption and mercy feel better represented by a mother hugging you, then envision that as your understanding of a fatherly image heals—and it will heal! I am living proof. The main thing I hope you take away is that He is just and disciplined, yes, but always with the hope of redeeming you.