Wonders Planned Long Ago

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 Wonders Planned Long Ago

Scripture: Isaiah 25:1 (NIV)
“Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.”

Devotion:

Isaiah 25 opens with a song. It follows chapters of judgment, where the prophet has described the shaking of the earth and the fall of proud cities. Yet here, in the midst of that darkness, the prophet lifts his voice in praise. Worship is not reserved for easy seasons; it rises from those who have seen God’s hand in both judgment and mercy.

“Lord, you are my God.” The personal note matters. Isaiah does not merely acknowledge that God exists, or that He rules the nations. He speaks as one in covenant, claiming the Lord as his own. This is the language of the faithful remnant, and it is the language Christ has opened to all who trust in Him. The God who thunders over the nations is the God to whom we may say, “my God.”

“I will exalt you and praise your name.” Notice that praise is an act of the will. Isaiah resolves to do it. Our feelings rise and fall, but the call to worship does not depend on them. We exalt God because of who He is, and in doing so we find that our hearts are steadied and our perspective set right.

Then comes the reason for the song: “for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.” Here is a profound comfort for the believer. God’s works are not improvised. Nothing in history has caught Him by surprise. What He purposed before the foundation of the world, He accomplishes in His time, with perfect faithfulness. The Westminster Confession speaks of God ordaining whatsoever comes to pass, yet in such a way that He is neither the author of sin nor does He do violence to the will of His creatures. That doctrine is not a cold abstraction but a warm assurance: the Lord who planned our salvation will not fail to complete it.

The great wonder planned long ago finds its fulfillment in Christ, whose cross and resurrection were no afterthought but the center of the eternal purpose. When circumstances seem uncertain, return to this truth. Your God has planned well, and He is faithful.

Prayer

Lord, You are our God, and we exalt You. We praise You for the wonders You have done and for the faithfulness with which You carry out Your eternal purposes. When we cannot see the way ahead, teach us to trust the One who planned it long ago. Receive our praise, and let our lives declare Your name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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