As I was reading in Isaiah 3 and 4 this morning, it talks about the daughters of Zion being called many things…beautiful and attractive and being adorned with jewelry. They were prideful and flirtatious. Let’s just say they were called some nice things, but they were not called holy. At one point, Isaiah talks about the Lord stripping them of their beautiful hair and all their perfumes and jewelry…leaving them bald and lamenting at the gates for some man to take them as a wife…so they will feel like “somebody” again.
Now, later in Chapter 4, there is a branch of the Lord that will come in and make the daughters of Zion clean and anyone who remains in Zion will be called holy! I love that! Now, I believe this is a prophetic look into the reign of Jesus…cause he is the root of Jesse, but I say and thought how could we as women apply this to our daily lives?
I seen two things that the Holy Spirit ministered to my heart…
The first being that they were so focused on beauty and being adorned with jewelry and clothing…maybe to appeal to the opposite sex in hopes of obtaining a husband? I really don’t know, but haven’t we all been there when we were single? Wanting a husband? Someone to find us desirable? Of course! Then after they lost their hair and left feeling “ugly”, they were begging for someone to just marry them so they would feel “whole”. How would they feel whole again?
The Branch of the Lord. Jesus is Who your worth comes from, sister. Not in how you “appear” to the opposite sex and definitely not by just finding someone that will let you take their name (4:1) so that you can feel “better”. If you are single and can’t seem to understand why you desire the relationship of marriage, take a step back and place your desires in The One who calls you beautiful…a masterpiece. Your worth is not found by a new last name. Pour your heart into a relationship with the God of heaven and then other relationships will flourish and new relationships will begin! I have seen it happen in my own life.
Secondly, let’s focus on being called “holy” before we are called anything else. Yes, I love when someone says to me, “You look pretty today” or “I love your outfit.” However, when someone tells you that you are a blessing to them or they are thankful you pray for them, those mean so much more! A holy life doesn’t mean that you are perfect, because that is unattainable in our flesh…yet, when you have a life, heart, mind and body that is genuinely separated to the Lord, you are walking in holiness. Is it tough? Do I have some work to do? Yep…we all do!
We can be called many wonderful things in this life, but we should first desire to be called holy. The things of this world will pass away, but in the day of the branch of the Lord, I want to be standing beautifully clothed in holiness that comes from the Father above.
Isaiah 3-4
