The Creator is Almighty to Help

27Why do you complain, Jacob?

Why do you say, Israel,

“My way is hidden from the Lord;

my cause is disregarded by my God”?

28Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.

29He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

30Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

31but those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40)

Thoughts: Isaiah is contrasting the faithlessness of people with the faithfulness of God.  He is a comfort to His people.  He comes with the ability to help- to speak a powerful word that makes things happen.  He is after all the creator of the ends of the earth.  He is not a piece of wood or even gold-inlaid-wood.  He does not grow deaf, or tired of caring or weak.  Instead he gives strength to the sick, the tired, the wear.  They will be lifted up higher than eagles!  God not only lifts us, inspires us, and motivates us, but He lifts us up higher than we ever thought possible.  

Prayer; Lord, thank you that you care- though we do not deserve it.  Thank you that your love continues despite our faithlessness.  Help me to live a grateful life. 

3-17-15 The Humble Way

1Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,

and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed,

that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand

double for all her sins. 3A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord^a ; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 
4Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. 5And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. (Isaiah 40)

14And it will be said: “Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.” 15For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place,  but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. (Isa. 57)

Thoughts: The way of the Lord is a comfort to His people.  This is a prophesy that says that God is coming to the world to make a way of comfort.  The glory of the Lord is coming to earth, Isaiah says.  Isaiah later says that the access to the high and holy place is given to the contrite.  Jesus left heaven out of concern and contrition for us.  The way is being prepared- built up where it is low and leveled where it is high.  The king's way is even and easy.  Jesus makes a way for the humble and repentant to come.  When people go their own way, they will refuse to go Jesus' way.  So the call of Jesus-- just by His coming down to earth-- is to be humble and listening for His way out to the high and holy place.  

Prayer: Your ways are higher than my ways, O Lord.  Your path of life leads to eternal life   Give me grace and mercy to be humble and go your way.  

6/25/14- The Eternal Word

23for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.24For, "ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, 25BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER." And this is the word which was preached to you. (1 Peter 2:23-25)

6A voice says, “Cry out.”

And I said, “What shall I cry?”

“All people are like grass,

and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.

7The grass withers and the flowers fall,

because the breath of the Lord blows on them.

Surely the people are grass.

8The grass withers and the flowers fall,

but the word of our God endures forever.” (Isaiah 40:7,8)

Thoughts: This contrasts our temporary nature to God's (and His Word's) eternal nature.  We are tied to the temporary as grass is tied to the passing weather.  But God is the Maker, and He made by His Word and makes us into new people ("born again") by His Word.  This is not just old language.  It is not that God made the world and stopped acting or making.  God shapes us, and cares for us.  If we do not believe that, then we should stop playing the religious game and get serious about a God who has the power to change us and change things.
    Disobedience is not new- though it always disguises itself as popular fashion.  We who are temporary, need to listen to the eternal voice.  To call that voice old-fashioned simply because it is eternal, or even because the older folk believe it, would be a terrible mistake.
    The Word is eternal in that God, who is eternal, is always speaking.  "Let there be light" is still working- in that light continues from that Word.  He is not silent.  He speaks in the fingerprints of creation- but that may be misinterpreted.  He speaks clearly in scripture- but the Spirit (who does not contradict what He has previously and eternally inspired/said), speaks convincingly and convictingly.  

Prayer: May I hear your eternal voice speaking to my heart today, O Lord.