Enlarge the place of your tent and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. Isaiah 54:2(ESV).
Isaiah 54 is named the eternal covenant of peace. The study notes for this chapter indicate that God commands His people to prepare joyfully for their future. This verse resonates with me in this moment of history. When God gives us commands, there is a powerful and beautiful surrender space of trusting that what God asks us to do is for our good. He leads us as a loving Father, and our obedience results in joy and peace.
What does it really mean to joyfully prepare for our future, the eternal covenant of peace, heaven, and glory? The word “prepare” is very much in my spirit and in the spirit of many others. This is a time of preparation, preparation for the future. This preparation involves enlarging the place of your tent. Your tent is your home, the place where you dwell; this command is to make room for many to come into the family of God. This prospect is incredibly exciting. Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitation be stretched out. DO NOT HOLD BACK. Lengthen the cords and strengthen the stakes. Oh Lord, would you do this?
This message is both personal and corporate. It was a prophecy to the children of Israel that many would come into the family of God. We are those many, but what if the Lord desires for us to stay in this mindset of preparation and enlarging until he returns? Many interpret this as physical expansion, believing they must build larger buildings to accommodate more people. However, what if the enlarging needs to occur in our hearts where we make room to disciple more people and not hold back from sharing the good news of Jesus and the life that He came to bring?
God describes those who do not share the good news as barren. We are called to be fruitful and multiply, but this is not limited to natural or physical growth. It is only possible because of Jesus, His glorious grace, and the plan of redemption for all mankind.
The present task of God’s people is to labour in expectancy. This verse perfectly captures the current feeling within the kingdom. There is a labouring, contending, and standing firm in the promise of an end-time harvest and revival. We may not fully understand what we are asking for, but our desire is to give our lives, spend our lives, and pour out our lives for the sake of the gospel, leading many to know Him.
God commands his people to confidently expect His endless compassion. This is our position in the presence of our King. He calls us, His children, into right relationship with Him, describing the renewal to be like the restoration of a deserted wife to a loving husband who would give his life for her: Covered, known, loved, and completely forgiven for any wrongdoing or failings. Come, Lord Jesus!
