Rivers of Comfort: Finding Your Lot Among the Stones
"Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?" - Isaiah 57:6
Isaiah 57:6 (KJV) states: "Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?"
As we delve into the intricate tapestry of Isaiah 57, we encounter a poignant verse that not only presents an image but also poses a challenging question. The prophet Isaiah, who was often regarded as a messenger of hope and warning, here beckons us to reflect on what it truly means to derive comfort from our surroundings, particularly when our reality seems rudimentary or void of divine glory.
### Understanding the Context
In the preceding verses, God admonishes Israel for turning away from Him, seeking solace in idols and foreign gods. The stones mentioned in this verse symbolize the things we often rely on—ourselves, our possessions, and sometimes, even our pains or past experiences. We often place our faith and trust in things that, unlike our Heaven-sent Redeemer, cannot save us or provide true comfort.
### The Stones and Our Substitutes
The "smooth stones of the stream" may indeed seem insignificant, but they represent the various substitutes we seek for comfort. Often, we turn to self-sufficiency or material gains, believing they can provide solace. Just as drink offerings and meat offerings were meant to honor God under the Old Covenant, we too can fall into the trap of offering our worship to less-than-living idols.
When Isaiah questions, "Should I receive comfort in these?" he is imploring us to examine the source of our comfort. Are the smooth stones our true lot in life, or are they merely placeholders for a deeper relationship with God that we have neglected?
### The Offerings We Bring
The act of pouring out a drink offering suggests a dedication or devotion to what we deem worthy. These offerings can represent our time, energy, and emotional reserves. In our brokenness, we often give ourselves to things that do not reciprocate love or support. We may find ourselves ‘honoring’ things that do not uplift our spirits; rather, they bury us deeper into the snare of comfort that is disillusioned at best.
God asks through His servant, Isaiah—where do we turn for comfort? Are we pouring out our lives onto rocks that cannot support our weight, or are we truly laying down our burdens at the feet of Christ, the only true source of comfort?
### A Call to True Comfort
Ironically, amidst our misplaced worship, we find God’s grace. Even as Isaiah questions the comfort found among the stones, he echoes a truth that is profound: our God is a God of restoration who desires His people to find true solace in Him. He does not reject us for our wandering hearts; instead, He invites us back into the fold. This brings us to the importance of redirecting our offerings—without being ashamed—to the one who can truly nourish our spirits.
### Reflecting on Our Lot
Today, let us reflect on our own lives. As we navigate through the streams of life, what smooth stones have we started to depend upon? How can we shift our focus from these temporary reliefs to eternal comfort found in Christ? Listen gently to God’s calling in Isaiah: He’s inviting us to pour out our offerings—not into stones but into His loving embrace.
As we meditate on Isaiah 57:6, let the Spirit of God reveal to you where you might be seeking comfort in transient things. May we be challenged to exchange our shallow offerings for a deep commitment to our Heavenly Father. So, when faced with the question, "Should I receive comfort in these?" let us joyfully respond, "No! Instead, I will pour my heart into the hands of the One who holds all comfort."
In every season, amidst every smooth stone, God beckons us to see our true portion, our true lot, not in what feeds the flesh, but in the Spirit that brings life eternal.
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Isaiah 57:6 - "Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?"
"Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?" - Isaiah 57:6
Isaiah 57:1-2
Isaiah 57:21 - "There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked."
Isaiah 57:12 - "I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee."
Isaiah 57:3 - "¶ But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore."
Isaiah 57:20 - "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt."
"There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." - Isaiah 57:21
Isaiah 57:2 - "He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness."
Isaiah 57:5 - "Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?"
Isaiah 57:19 - "I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him."
Isaiah 57:14 - "And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people."
Isaiah 57:17 - "For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart."
Isaiah 57:7 - "Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice."
Isaiah 57:20-21 - "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked."
Isaiah 57:16 - "For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made."
Isaiah 57:1 - "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come."
Isaiah 57:18 - "I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners."
Isaiah 57:9 - "And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell."
Isaiah 57:10 - "Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved."
John 6:57 - "As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me."
Isaiah 57:4 - "Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,"
"I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee." - Isaiah 57:12
"¶ But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore." - Isaiah 57:3
1 Chronicles 6:57 - "And to the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of Judah, namely, Hebron, the city of refuge, and Libnah with her suburbs, and Jattir, and Eshtemoa, with their suburbs,"
Isaiah 57:11 - "And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?"
Psalms 57:6 - "They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah."
Isaiah 57:15 - "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."
Isaiah 57:1-2 - "The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous are taken away from calamity, they enter into peace; those who walk uprightly will rest on their beds."
Isaiah 57:18-19 - "I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners, creating praise on their lips. Peace, peace, to those far and near,” says the LORD. “And I will heal them.”"