Communion With God

Isaiah 26:7-9

Communion with God manifests itself in many ways. But in these verses Isaiah shows us five specific things involved in it. First, communion with God causes the believer, in the tenor of his life, to walk in the path of righteousness (v. 7). No one has reason to believe that he is justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to him, if he is not sanctified by the righteousness of Christ imparted to him. Believers are new creatures in Christ. In the tenor of their lives they walk in uprightness (Eph. 4:17-23). Any doctrine that teaches, or implies, that a person's character and conduct are unimportant, so long as he believes in Christ,is not the doctrine of Christ.Secondly,communion with God manifests itself in waiting for him (v.8).This waiting does not imply idleness, or indifference, but faith and diligence.To wait upon God is to believe him. Unbelief hurries and worries. Faith waits. Unbelief is fearful and cowardly.Faith is confident and courageous. To wait upon God is to stand upon the tiptoe of faith expecting him to fulfil his promise.To wait upon him is to serve him (Prov. 27:18), to do his bidding, to serve his household, to do his will. Thirdly, communion with God causes the believer to desire his Lord. "The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee." God's name represents his character,his Word,and his glory.This is what we desire to know and see.And we desire to remember him at all times, to have him always before our hearts. Fourthly, communion with God causes men and women to seek him (v. 9). The person who trusts Christ is one who is seeking him. The person who walks with God by faith is seeking him (Phil. 3:9-14). Con- stantly knowing our ever-increasing need of our God, we seek him. And, fifthly, communion with God enables the believer to learn by the providential judgments of his heavenly Father (v. 9). The wicked inhabitants of the earth neither learn by God's favor, nor by his judg- ments. But the believer, while he walks in this world, walks with God and is taught of God. He learns much by the works of God,even by the judgments of providence.He learns to look upon temporal things as temporal, and eternal things as eternal.He learns to value Christ,his people and his gospel aright. And he learns righteous- ness (Heb. 12:11), the value of righteousness and where righteousness is to be found - in Christ alone!

Don Fortner