God has come through for me many times. He brought me to salvation and an understanding of who Christ was. He provided for my needs. He provided me a wife and a healthy child. He has provided me with some amazing friends. He is constantly providing for my needs, physical and financial. For the most part my response has been a quiet thank you mixed with some sincere relief and unfortunately some expectation.
Yet here in Isaiah (and all through Psalms) we see a song of praise. I'm not a singer or song writer, so I can do that ... but I think that is ok. The question is: In my heart am I full of praise and thanksgiving? And am I even aware of all I have to be thankful for?
God, help me to grow in thankfulness. Not only towards you but towards others as well. Help me to understand how much you want to take care of me. Give me a heart full of praise. Give me humility so that I don't think anything is because of me. Thank you so much for taking care of me so well these 28 years, better then I've ever even asked. I would not be where I am without you!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
An Overwhelming Hope - Isaiah 11
After chapter after chapter of anger and justice, when you feel hopeless, there comes hope. And not just a glimpse of hope but a flood of hope. From the wreckage and chaos a man will rise that will change everything. A man that will bring peace and balance.
The crazy thing is that this was written 700 years before Christ was born. That is a long time to live in waiting. It is no wonder when Christ came people were so excited. Yet, 2000 years ago it appeared that with is death all hope was lost again. I can't imagine putting so much hope in Him only to have Him die. But there was more hope in His death then in His life. For His death is what changed history and our lives eternally. His death is what conquered our hopeless future. Now we have a chance to have a relationship with God, we have the power to conquer sin, we have the hope of eternal life with someone fair and just that loves us as we are.
Now that hope is worth living for!
The crazy thing is that this was written 700 years before Christ was born. That is a long time to live in waiting. It is no wonder when Christ came people were so excited. Yet, 2000 years ago it appeared that with is death all hope was lost again. I can't imagine putting so much hope in Him only to have Him die. But there was more hope in His death then in His life. For His death is what changed history and our lives eternally. His death is what conquered our hopeless future. Now we have a chance to have a relationship with God, we have the power to conquer sin, we have the hope of eternal life with someone fair and just that loves us as we are.
Now that hope is worth living for!
Monday, March 24, 2008
God's Anger Isaiah 9:8-10:19
God seems pretty angry here. In trying to figure out why, it looks like there are a few humbling reasons:
1) The Israelites speak with pride and arrogance. They believe and act is if they are strong enough on their own, yet they are nothing without God. And, yet, they would not even be the chosen people if it wasn't for God. So it seems to make sense that God is bothered by this. For me this could look like this: "Wow, it is amazing the circumstances I have put myself into in order to get the experience to minister. It is amazing the difference I make in people's lives with all my brilliant questions and my keen understanding of the Bible. And you know, look at all the results I get from my hard work at fund raising ... it is surprising how much I can convince people to support us. Thank goodness God has me on His team." Obviously this is crazy ... it even scares me to write it. But there are times I probably act like those are alot closer to what I believe. What is the opposite: humility and teachability. I am nothing without God. I can do nothing without God. I have nothing without God. I am who God made me to be not who I made me to be. I only understand things because God allows it. It is by God's grace and power that anyone is ever influenced by me.
2) After all God's punishment, they still aren't repentant. That is the reaction of prideful and arrogant people. But am I any different? I try to sugar coat things rather then admit wrong. I try to change myself rather then admit that I can't change or even want to change. Or I take a beating and conclude "I survived that and now am stronger for it." Yet I never grew through it or was humbled, I just endured.
Conclusion. I have some Israelite tendencies, more than I care to admit. I can see that I am growing in humility and teachability, but I still have foundation remaining that tells me real men figure things out and do them on their own, real men are self made. I hope and pray that foundation continues to crumble and be rebuilt on a true sense of where I fall in the grand scheme of things.
1) The Israelites speak with pride and arrogance. They believe and act is if they are strong enough on their own, yet they are nothing without God. And, yet, they would not even be the chosen people if it wasn't for God. So it seems to make sense that God is bothered by this. For me this could look like this: "Wow, it is amazing the circumstances I have put myself into in order to get the experience to minister. It is amazing the difference I make in people's lives with all my brilliant questions and my keen understanding of the Bible. And you know, look at all the results I get from my hard work at fund raising ... it is surprising how much I can convince people to support us. Thank goodness God has me on His team." Obviously this is crazy ... it even scares me to write it. But there are times I probably act like those are alot closer to what I believe. What is the opposite: humility and teachability. I am nothing without God. I can do nothing without God. I have nothing without God. I am who God made me to be not who I made me to be. I only understand things because God allows it. It is by God's grace and power that anyone is ever influenced by me.
2) After all God's punishment, they still aren't repentant. That is the reaction of prideful and arrogant people. But am I any different? I try to sugar coat things rather then admit wrong. I try to change myself rather then admit that I can't change or even want to change. Or I take a beating and conclude "I survived that and now am stronger for it." Yet I never grew through it or was humbled, I just endured.
Conclusion. I have some Israelite tendencies, more than I care to admit. I can see that I am growing in humility and teachability, but I still have foundation remaining that tells me real men figure things out and do them on their own, real men are self made. I hope and pray that foundation continues to crumble and be rebuilt on a true sense of where I fall in the grand scheme of things.
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