Thursday, March 23, 2017
Reading in Isaiah 51 this morning, I saw some things we, as God’s children, can definitely identify with. From it’s very first verse, we get this eye-opening reminder: “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn.” Clearly God is telling us here to remember who we are. Since we gave ourselves to Christ and now belong to Him, we no longer belong to the World and we are very much different than they. And because of it, those who do not know Christ see us totally different than how God sees us. Their concept of us can range from simple silliness to complete dementia. Speaking about that, even when someone tells you that you are crazy, you must remember that, for a child of God, that is impossible. 2 Timothy 1:7 says: “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Therefore, who are we going to believe? Did Jesus not say: “I am the way, the truth, and the life” in John 14:6?
If we are in Christ, we are in the truth. This is something we must keep in mind constantly because there will be times when the world, or our mind, or our eyes, even our heart, will tell us something other than the truth. This happens because our old nature is still within us. Today, for example, some of you may be going through a difficult trial. And because you’re human, it just may be that you have worried more than you should about it, maybe even suffered some sleepless nights. To you, I say: “Let the truth in!” The Lord says He is with you, and that’s the truth! Later on in Isaiah 51, the Lord says: “I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mere mortals, human beings who are but grass?” (verse 12)
I feed my dogs at night and every time I step outside the first thing I do is look up to the sky. I love seeing the moon and the stars but sometimes I can’t see them. Sometimes I can count only a handful of stars. Yet, I know they‘re out there. I was amazed recently when someone showed me a photo they took of the sky while out on an ocean cruise. My goodness! Even with an I-phone camera the view was amazing. I thought, “is this the same sky I’m looking at back home when I’m feeding our dogs, when I can only make out a handful of stars?” The answer is: “of course it is.” It is the same with us at times. We are going through a rough stretch and we’re desperately looking for God but we can’t see Him. By no means should we think that He’s not there. Believe me, God is always there with us and much closer than we can think or imagine. And that’s the truth!
God’s promise for today: (Isaiah 43:2) “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
