Isaiah 41-44

Isaiah 41-44 is full of God's endless mercy and grace.

God reassures us that even though we mess-up ever so terribly, HE is the one who grabs us by the hand and helps us.  We don't have to be afraid when we give God the time attention He needs in our lives.

God wants us to know that He is real and at work with us.  

And through Isaiah so many centuries ago, God tells about Jesus, our Messiah, long before anyone knew about Him.  So, today, as we read through God's Word as believers following Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, we know God's truth and His faithfulness even more fully.

Sometimes for us to really know God's power and presence in our daily lives, He gives us hints of what is to come.  

God says,

See, the former things have taken place,

  and the new things I declare;

  before they spring into being

  I announce them to you

Isaiah 42:9

I think God wants us to pay attention to Him and open our eyes, our ears, and our hearts to the ways He speaks to us and guides us.

Despite the ways we let God down, He tells us to we don't have to be afraid.  

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

  I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

Isaiah 43:1

God knows us by name, and He claims us as His own.

When things are bad (no matter how bad) when we are lost (no matter how lost), God has a message of hope for us.

Forget the former things;

  do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!

  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah 43:19

Believing in Jesus and His way for our lives means we are completely free from our sins and old ways, no strings attached.  

I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,

  your sins like the morning mist.

Return to me,

  for I have redeemed you.

Isaiah 44:22

Nothing we do (or don't do) can separate us from the love we have in Christ.  

As the book of Isaiah points out, God needs to get our attention sometimes to draw us closer to Him.  God works through our circumstances, good and bad.

We are HIS witnesses for today.

So, how might God be working to get your attention today?  How is He speaking to you?  What is He saying?

A prayer for today-

Dear God,

I thank You for Your enormous love for me.  I thank You for Jesus who shows us how to live faithful lives close to You.  And I thank you for Your Holy Spirit that is always with me, guiding me.

Forgive me for all the ways I burden You with my sins.  Forgive me for all the ways I see many things but do not pay attention, for all the ways I hear but do not listen.

I know I especially need Your grace when it comes to _____________________________.  Make me new in Christ.

Help me forget the former things.  Help me to not dwell on the past.  Help me, Lord, to see and appreciate the new life You will for me each and every day.

I also pray today that You will pour out Your blessings and Your Spirit upon ____________________.  

You, Lord, are the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens and spreads out the earth.  You are our Rock and our Redeemer.  

In the name of Jesus I pray,

Amen

In Christ's love,

*This post is part of A Mind-Maker-Upper's Everyday Reading Project.  Click here to read more.
  

Isaiah 31-35

We hear more about the Kingdom of Righteousness with our Savior in charge in Isaiah 31-35.

The LORD is our king, our everything.  That's right where God wants to be in our lives.

You know yesterday as we read Isaiah 26-30, I mentioned this fear that kept creeping in, my own insecurities, as God reveals His judgement on all people.  I even wondered what that says about my own faith.

I didn't have an answer yesterday, and I left it at that.

And then today, I read this assurance...

Strengthen the feeble hands,

  steady the knees that give way;

say to those with fearful hearts,

  "Be strong, do not fear;

   your God will come,

   he will come with vengeance;

   with divine retribution

   he will come to save you."

Isaiah 35: 3-4

Our gracious and compassionate God who is overflowing with love for us hears us. He knows us, and He comes to us with the words we need to hear and know.

A prayer for today-

Dear God,

I thank You for knowing me from the inside out and for blessing me the words I need to hear.  

I give my fears and insecurities to You, Lord.

You are my Lord and Savior, my everything.  Your grace is more than enough for life.

______________________ is on my heart today.  Be with ______________________ in the days to come.  

I also pray for my family, my community, my state, this nation, and all of the countries in the world because we need You more than anything else.  

Lord, be gracious to us.  We long for you.  Be our strength every morning, and our salvation (Isaiah 33:2).

You are our eternal Rock and our Redeemer.  

In the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit I pray,

Amen   

Blessings,

*This post is part of A Mind-Maker-Upper's Everyday Reading Project.  Click here to read more.