Oh, how I long for heaven, and Isaiah 6 makes me wish even more to be in the presence of God. This world is not my home, and there are lots of things that make me sad and uncomfortable here. While I love being with my family and friends, I’m ready to skip to the end of the story when Jesus comes to take all the Believers to His heavenly kingdom. Trent makes fun of me because I always read the last page of any book before I actually get to the end. Usually I read two or three chapters, and then I flip to the back page to find out if my predictions about the conclusion are going to come true. Trent thinks that ruins the story, but it doesn’t for me. I don’t really like surprises, and I don’t like being kept in suspense. I want to know what’s coming around the corner at me. So, knowing the end of the story keeps me reading because I know what to expect. And if it’s a really great story, then I can hardly read fast enough. Well, God’s story of mankind is absolutely the best story I have ever read, and I’ve read it through several times, and it gets better with each reading. The end of the story tells me that because Jesus is my Savior I will get to live with Him in heaven for eternity. I can hardly wait, girls. The suspense is killing me!
Isaiah’s vision makes me hungry for a glimpse of God’s throne room. One of our youth group leaders in high school would often lead us in an extended time of meditation and prayer. She taught us to seek God’s presence. Even in a room full of teenagers, she helped us learn how to get alone with God so we could hear His voice and fall on our faces before His throne. Honestly, I haven’t done that in a long time. I let the distractions of this world drown out the voice of my heavenly Father calling me into peaceful relationship with Him. Even in my own living room, I find it difficult to quiet my spirit in order to commune with the Holy Spirit.
In 6:5 Isaiah recognizes that he is not worthy to be in the presence of the Holy God. None of us deserves an audience with the King of kings and Lord of Lords. But praise Jesus, He invites us to come boldly before His throne of grace! (Heb. 4:16) In Isaiah 6:6-7, the seraph cleanses Isaiah’s sin with a hot coal from the altar. You and I can have our sin washed away by the blood of Christ on the cross. Have you asked Him to cleanse your heart? Won’t you ask Him today?
After we come into God’s presence and He changes us to be more like Christ, then we must be ready to answer His call to go out. Come in, grow up, go out. This is the new pattern our women’s ministry plans to follow. We are good at inviting everyone to come just as they are, and now we want to help women grow in their relationship to God so that they can go out and serve their world. Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (vs 8)
The rest of the story is a tough pill to swallow. Isaiah has answered the call to follow God, and God tells Isaiah that the job is going to be impossible. Isaiah will preach the message of salvation to people who will refuse to listen to him. They will be cruel to him and spit in his face. Their land will be destroyed and forsaken by God. Isaiah was asked to take on a thankless ministry, one doomed to failure in the eyes of the world. Would you and I readily accept such an assignment? I sincerely doubt it. Our family just moved to Oklahoma to minister to a very loving church. They have already blessed our socks off, as my husband would say! If God had told us to move some place where people were unfriendly, I am certain we would have said no. If God had told us that the people would never love us and that they would not respond to the messages God puts on Trent’s heart to deliver, would we have come? No, because in the church of today, we measure success just like the world does. We measure in numbers and in good feelings. So, if God has placed you in a thankless ministry, I want to encourage you today. Measure success according to God’s standard. He is looking for obedient hearts that are willing to follow Him even when the road is hard. Seek His face, and enjoy His approval instead of man’s.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Isaiah 2
Isaiah 2:3b--"He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." God is our teacher. Are we being diligent students of His Word? We are always whining about not knowing what God is going to do. Let's start listening to the Spirit's voice telling us, "This is the way, walk ye in it." (Isaiah 30:21)
Isaiah 2:6--"Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD." "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." (Ps. 119:105) O house of Jacob refers to God's people. God's Word to His people is the Bible, and when we read it, we receive direction concerning where God wants us to go and what He wants us to do. A lamp, however, gives light for only one or two steps at a time. Therefore, we must trust God with the big map of our lives as we obediently follow Him one step at a time, one day at a time.
Isaiah 2:6-9 is a very thought-provoking passage. It begins by saying God has abandoned His people, but it continues by saying that the land is full, full of superstitions, full of silver and gold, full of treasures, full of horses and chariots, full of idols. It ends by saying mankind will be humbled. The Jews believed that God's blessing brought prosperity, yet these verses indicate prosperity did not satisfy their longing for relationship with God. I can see this reflected in our own day and time. Our society is full of supersitions, silver, gold, treasures, material wealth, and idols, but our souls are not satisfied because prosperity does not equal relationship to our Creator God. My prayer for our nation is that we (myself included) will stop longing for wealth and financial stability and that we will start chasing after a love relationship with the One True God. Mankind will be humbled. I would much rather bow down willingly before God's throne than to beg for His mercy after tragedy has struck.
Three times this chapter tells us to hide "from the dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty." (vs. 10, 19, & 21) My first thought was, "Oh, but I want to see God's majesty!" But not in the context of His judgment on mankind. He is the God who melts mountains and rises to shake the earth. I think we would all want to run and hide in the hills when the wrath of God is unleashed. Praise Jesus because of His sacrifice, which allows us to stand clean before the throne of judgment. We don't often realize the significance of Christ taking our place. He endured the wrath of God so we wouldn't have to. Because of Jesus, I do not have to run and hide from the Father. Hallelujah!
Isaiah 2:11-12 talk of the day of the LORD. The arrogant and proud will be humbled in that day because the LORD alone will be exalted. Let's exalt His Name in our day, ladies. As my husband says, "I want to be at the head of the parade. I don't want to be at the back of the parade."
Isaiah 2:22--"Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?" Who or what am I trusting in instead of trusting in God? People? Job? Finances? My own abilities? Of what account is any of it? I'm trusting in Christ, the Solid Rock! Will you join me?
Isaiah 2:6--"Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD." "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." (Ps. 119:105) O house of Jacob refers to God's people. God's Word to His people is the Bible, and when we read it, we receive direction concerning where God wants us to go and what He wants us to do. A lamp, however, gives light for only one or two steps at a time. Therefore, we must trust God with the big map of our lives as we obediently follow Him one step at a time, one day at a time.
Isaiah 2:6-9 is a very thought-provoking passage. It begins by saying God has abandoned His people, but it continues by saying that the land is full, full of superstitions, full of silver and gold, full of treasures, full of horses and chariots, full of idols. It ends by saying mankind will be humbled. The Jews believed that God's blessing brought prosperity, yet these verses indicate prosperity did not satisfy their longing for relationship with God. I can see this reflected in our own day and time. Our society is full of supersitions, silver, gold, treasures, material wealth, and idols, but our souls are not satisfied because prosperity does not equal relationship to our Creator God. My prayer for our nation is that we (myself included) will stop longing for wealth and financial stability and that we will start chasing after a love relationship with the One True God. Mankind will be humbled. I would much rather bow down willingly before God's throne than to beg for His mercy after tragedy has struck.
Three times this chapter tells us to hide "from the dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty." (vs. 10, 19, & 21) My first thought was, "Oh, but I want to see God's majesty!" But not in the context of His judgment on mankind. He is the God who melts mountains and rises to shake the earth. I think we would all want to run and hide in the hills when the wrath of God is unleashed. Praise Jesus because of His sacrifice, which allows us to stand clean before the throne of judgment. We don't often realize the significance of Christ taking our place. He endured the wrath of God so we wouldn't have to. Because of Jesus, I do not have to run and hide from the Father. Hallelujah!
Isaiah 2:11-12 talk of the day of the LORD. The arrogant and proud will be humbled in that day because the LORD alone will be exalted. Let's exalt His Name in our day, ladies. As my husband says, "I want to be at the head of the parade. I don't want to be at the back of the parade."
Isaiah 2:22--"Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?" Who or what am I trusting in instead of trusting in God? People? Job? Finances? My own abilities? Of what account is any of it? I'm trusting in Christ, the Solid Rock! Will you join me?
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