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Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. Isaiah 59:1 (NLT)
Remember when you were growing up and when you were in school? Whenever the ‘adult’ or person in authority questioned your level of attention they would pause and say, “Listen to me!” They said that because they were about to say something of extreme importance and they didn’t want you to miss it.
The people of Israel were in desperate striates spiritually. It seemed like everyone from the religious and spiritual leaders to the common shepherd had made up their own rules about how to worship God, how to follow his ways and what God was going to do for Israel.
Chapter 59 of Isaiah lists all the areas in which the Israelites were falling short. Their society was a mess. There was no such thing as justice. God’s people had gotten so entangled in sin and tradition there was no hope of true worship.
In the midst of Isaiah’s teaching he says (on behalf of the Lord) “LISTEN TO ME!” It’s as though he is a discerning parent. He sees their minds are wandering and they are on information overload. What He is about to tell His people must be heard.
The message to the Israelites and to us is this. Our sin separates us from God. Sin doesn’t separate us from God because He hates us. Sin separates us from God because He hates sin. The good news is that in the midst of our sin God promises that He is strong enough to save you.
We live in horrible times. Families are being torn apart by divorce, violence and emotional and physical abuse. Our ‘justice’ system seems more intent on protecting the special interest groups and punishing the victim. Greed, hatred and anger permeate every part of our world.
God’s message through Isaiah is this. You may have been terribly abused emotionally, physically or spiritually. You may feel like you have been abandoned by family, friends and even God. That simply isn’t true. There is nothing you have done, or nothing that has been done to you that God can not help you through.
Let Him wrap His strong arms of love and forgiveness around you. Talk to Him. Tell Him EXACTLY how you feel. Don’t sugar coat your feelings (He knows anyway). Believe in yourself. Believe that no matter what other people have told you and no matter how you have been treated by other people, you are loved passionately by God. That’s why He sent Jesus to die for you. Trust Him to do a work of healing and to empower you for the battles you face today. His arms are much stronger than any battle you will face. There is nothing that will distract Him from giving you His undivided attention.
PRAYER: Dear God. There are times when I wonder if You can really change things around here. I’m such a mess. I’ve tried so hard to make changes in my life, my attitude and my feelings. Nothing seems to work. Help me to believe that You are strong enough to lift me from this mess and love me enough to want to do that. Forgive me for my part of the mess I’m in and empower me to live completely for you. Amen.
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:2-3
He was just an obscure shepherd. His family and his story suddenly appear in scripture out of nowhere. Abraham was untested when God promised him that he would be father of a great nation. In fact this promise was made before Abraham lied to the Pharaoh by telling him Sarah (his wife) was his sister to save his own skin (he did this twice), slept with his maid to produce his first son and abandoned his first son! Yet Romans tells us that Abraham believed in God and it was his belief, not his worthiness the caused God to look upon him as righteous.
Abraham was also chosen to be a blessing. God’s blessing upon Abraham resulted in those around him being blest. The source of this blessing was God’s work, not Abrahams. He did nothing to solicit the blessing others received nor did he do anything to deserve God’s using him as a tool of blessing. Scripture implies that Abraham really had no part in who was blest or who was not.
God’s protection was upon Abraham. Those that cursed Abraham were cursed by God. Again, Abraham had no part in this. When God’s protection is upon us we have no need to defend ourselves. God’s protection does not mean we will not endure attack. It does not free us from adversity. It does not guarantee that tragedy will not be a part of our life. What it does mean is that when we trust in God fully, He will build a shield around us. Nothing can separate us from the love and protection of Almighty God.
While none of us will be ‘a father of a great nation’ there are lessons each of us can learn from this story. First of all, God doesn’t wait for you to clean up your act or prove yourself or get an education or reach a certain age or place in life before he can use you. He is able to use you no matter what your past, regardless of mistakes you have made or the place you find yourself in life.
Secondly, where ever you go. Whatever situation you find yourself in. Regardless of how you got to the place you are in life. God’s protection is upon you. He is a passionate lover who will go to any length to make sure you are protected. You have no need to defend yourself. It isn’t up to you to ‘get even’ with those who attack you. God will take care of them in His time, in His way.
Lastly, you are blessed by God. Abraham looked forward to the promise of a great nation and a son who would be an eternal King. You can look back to the coming of that promise in Jesus Christ. His love and forgiveness will carry you through today and tomorrow, just as it did yesterday. Not only can you look back to the cross, you can look forward to that day when Jesus will come again to right the wrong and to end death, sickness, greed and hatred forever.
PRAYER: Father God. I’m once again humbled as I realize how much You love me. Like Abraham I, in no way deserve the life you have given me in Jesus. I fail miserably in what I say, do and think. I get angry at those who mistreat me. I defend my actions and retaliate in my own subtle ways. I hereby give you permission to do what you do best; protect me from my enemies, rid me of the past guilt and shame and bless those around me by the life you live through me. Amen.
Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. Psalm 5:3 (NLT)
The first few minutes of our day can determine how the rest of the day goes. If we wake up excited about the possibilities before us our mood can be happy, and positive. If we awaken to worries and fears about the tasks before us we can be tense and tentative in all we do.
Our attitude about the day can determine how we talk to our children and those we love, how or what we eat, and how we drive in rush hour traffic. Those opening moments just after our eyes open lay the foundation for how we act, react, think and speak!
Nutritionists tell us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it prepares the body physically for what lays ahead. Spiritually speaking, spending some time with Jesus as you start your day can make all the difference in the world in how you feel emotionally, spiritually and physically. Take a little time for Jesus before you even get out of bed.
In Psalm 5 David spends most of his time writing about his enemies. People around him are lying about him, criticizing him, questioning his every move. He’s being beaten up and spit out by a bunch of unnamed adversaries’ intent on making sure his life is miserable.
Before he even gets out of bed he speaks to his Lord about the day’s events. He’s not afraid to ask right from the start that God would intervene in the day’s activities. David knew something that each of us must remember: God knows our tomorrows and passionately desires to walk through life with us moment by moment. He listens to each word that is said to us, by us and about us. He watches each attack with interest because He won’t allow us to go through more than we can handle.
David not only begins his day by telling God his concerns, he resolves from the very start to ‘wait expectantly’. David does something here that each of us should strive for. He waits patiently for God’s answer to come forth. It’s not a question of ‘IF’ God will answer. David fully expects that God will take care of the things that need taking care of.
When we are being attacked by others or our own feelings of failure and worthlessness, it’s too easy to pray idle words without really expecting God to act. The book of Acts tells the story of a group of people praying for Peter’s deliverance from prison. When God answered their prayers they didn’t believe it!
Pray with the expectation that God will answer. It’s not a question of ‘if’ but when and how. Sometimes the answer we get won’t be what we want, but if we believe that our Father loves us and only wants what is best for us, then we must patiently wait with expectation for His answer and trust Him to guide us through.
Remember, YOU are God’s number one! You are a child of THE King. He already knows what your day holds for you. Talk to Him first thing in the morning and let Him handle the rest.
PRAYER: Good morning Jesus. As you know I’m worried about today. I want to thank you for seeing me through the night. Thank you for the many, many blessings you have bestowed upon me. Forgive me for the times I’ve forgotten to notice how you’ve taken care of me in the past. Help me now to patiently wait for you to take care of the things that are troubling me. I now place into your hands all the things that I’m worried about. I trust you. Amen.
No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39 (NLT)
What can separate us from God’s love? The Bible tells us that nothing can separate us from His love. The only thing that stands in the way of a love relationship with God is our sin. Sin separates us from God’s love because God can’t look at sin, not because He doesn’t love us. All of us, no matter who we are or what we believe are God’s creation. He made ALL men (mankind) in His image for the express purpose of having a passionate, fulfilling love relationship with us.
Jesus came to earth to give us a living example of God’s love. He died to pay the penalty for our sin. He rose so that even death would have no power over us. Today He is seated at the right hand of His father pleading our case and reminding the Father that He died for us. He works in us though the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us, protect us and assure us of His love.
What can separate us from His love? If we believe that God is the creator of all things then He is also in control of all things created. He created all we see (the earth, universe, life) and the unseen (the spirit world, fear, doubt, etc.). Therefore He will not allow anything He has created to keep us from His love.
What can separate us from His love? Can our past? Can debt? Can illness? Can political agendas that are anti-God? Can present frustrations and disappointments? NO! The enemy uses these things to try to veil God’s love; to make us question His love, His existence and His forgiveness.
The enemy says, “He can’t forgive you this time. You’ve gone too far. You are nothing but a hypocrite.” The enemy says, “If God is a God of love why is there illness and disaster? If your God is alive and loving this would never happen”
But our Father in heaven has always warned us that in this world we will see adversity. We’ll see hatred and disaster and struggle. He’s told us we’ll struggle with sin and with those intent on destroying us. He’s even warned us that we will be unfaithful at times. But even these things will not separate us from God’s love.
Our attitudes towards God may affect our ability to sense His love for us but they will never affect how much He loves us!
What can separate us from God’s love? Nothing. Nothing you can see. Nothing that is hidden. Not the past, not the future. God loves you and He sent His own Son as proof. Your value comes because of God’s love for you and not because of anything you can do to earn it.
PRAYER: Holy Father. I thank you today for the reminder that there is nothing that separates me from you. I get scared sometimes. I get frustrated with my own feelings of inadequacy to follow you the way I want. I’m angry sometimes at the evil and injustice around me. Even during these times I ask that you would help me to live in constant awareness of your undying, eternal and unending love for me. In the name of my Lord and my Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 (NLT)
History is strewn with unfinished projects. Dreams people have had that were never accomplished. Books that were started and never finished. Songs no one has heard. Inventions that have never seen a store shelf. Relationships that have never experienced the joy of togetherness.
There are many reasons for people failing to accomplish their dreams. Some ran out of time or money. Others experienced life changes that kept them from achieving their goal. Some just lost interest when the project didn’t take shape the way they’d hoped it would. There are also those that failed because of a failure to plan.
The Apostle Paul tells us we are each an unfinished project. But we are not likely to be cast aside any time soon! Before time itself we were a project in God’s eye. Psalm 139 says that each of our days was carefully planned out with every detail in place.
When God starts a project He has the ability to complete it, the desire to see it succeed and the passion to do it well. He is well aware of our shortcomings and the momentary setbacks. He understands how our feelings and the circumstances of our lives can keep us from staying on course. That doesn’t deter Him from continuing to work in our lives. He is never discouraged or disappointed in what He sees. Nothing we do surprises Him.
Every day of our lives is a step closer to becoming all God has planned for us. He will not abandon you. He will not tire of your shortcomings or lose interest in you and go on to some other, more promising project. You are His number one. You are His masterpiece.
Be patient though. Masterpieces take time. There will be set backs along the way and things won’t go as you’d like. In the midst of the struggle don’t forget who you are, a child of the King. Remember that you aren’t doing the work. God is working in you and through you to make you the finished product.
PRAYER: Dear Father. Thank you for the work you are doing I my life today. I don’t understand all the things that are happening right now. I’m trying so hard to change things in my life and they aren’t working. I praise you for that fact that you have all things in control and that you can use everything that happens in my life for good. Help me to live as the masterpiece I am. Amen.
