Isaiah 41:17-43:13; Ephesians 2:1-22; Psalm 67:1-7; Proverbs 23:29-35
Did I luck out on today's reading or what? It's so
chock-full of goodness that the only difficulty in writing this post is
narrowing down what to address!
How can I not see the great beauty in Ephesians 2? Paul writes of "[God's] great love for us" (Eph. 2:4); of the richness of his mercy and grace (vs. 4, 7); of our inclusion, unity, and acceptance (vs. 13, 17-22). "It is by grace you have been saved" (vs. 5, 8), Paul reiterates.
How can I overlook the tremendous blessing in Psalm 67:1, prayed over a people with expectation and anticipation? Expectation that God will be gracious and make his face shine, and anticipation that this blessing will be observed by the world and will winsomely compel them to worship the one true God (Ps. 67:2-5, 7). Blessed to be a blessing, for certain.
But I can't step away from the Old Testament reading. (My husband challenged me recently to write out of more than our OT passages - apparently my love of the first two-thirds of the Bible has been perhaps too well-documented thus far in our blog.) How can I not write about portions of Scripture like today, though?
In Isaiah today, I get a chance to see God's character revealed. I see how responsive he is to his people: "The poor and needy search for water" (Is. 41:17) and God answers, not with a skin of water, not with a well, not with a small rivulet, but with flowing rivers and gushing springs, with pools of water that cause trees of all kinds to thrive (vs. 18-19). God isn't content to give just enough; he is extravagant, excessive, overwhelming in his response.
I see God's tenderness: "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out" (Is. 42:3). God sees life, even in the most desperate of circumstances, and nurtures it. I cannot tell you how many times I have been grateful for this reminder - that God will deal gently with me in my insufficiency.
I am reassured of God's presence, even amidst difficulty: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze" (Is. 43:1-2). I'm always struck by the "whens" in this passage. I can - and should - expect the waters, the rivers, the fire, the flames. I'm equally struck by the strong, upholding hand of the Lord Almighty during these "whens." I will not be overcome; I will not be destroyed; I will not be undone. "You are precious and honored in my sight...I love you" (Is. 43:4). Are there more beautiful words? Though Isaiah spoke these words from God to the nation of Israel, we can know that God feels this way about us, too. If he redeemed Israel out of Egypt because of this love, what can we conclude about his love for us based off our redemption out of sin through the death of his Son?
Beyond his self-revelation, I see God's purpose for his people, too. God calls us "to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness" (Is. 42:6-7). Wow. Jesus declares something very similar about himself in Luke 4 (a portion yet to come in our reading of Isaiah, in ch. 62), but we are here invited into this great, on-going work of redemption. We are God's witnesses and his servants (Is. 43:10, 12), blessed (once more) to be a blessing.
Lord, make us blind to all but you, deaf to all but you (Is. 42:19). Make us that committed to you. Thank you for your inclination toward us, your tender, responsive attitude, your presence in difficulty, your calling for us. We have already been blessed greatly by you. Make us witnesses for you, blessing the world around us. Amen.
How can I not see the great beauty in Ephesians 2? Paul writes of "[God's] great love for us" (Eph. 2:4); of the richness of his mercy and grace (vs. 4, 7); of our inclusion, unity, and acceptance (vs. 13, 17-22). "It is by grace you have been saved" (vs. 5, 8), Paul reiterates.
How can I overlook the tremendous blessing in Psalm 67:1, prayed over a people with expectation and anticipation? Expectation that God will be gracious and make his face shine, and anticipation that this blessing will be observed by the world and will winsomely compel them to worship the one true God (Ps. 67:2-5, 7). Blessed to be a blessing, for certain.
But I can't step away from the Old Testament reading. (My husband challenged me recently to write out of more than our OT passages - apparently my love of the first two-thirds of the Bible has been perhaps too well-documented thus far in our blog.) How can I not write about portions of Scripture like today, though?
In Isaiah today, I get a chance to see God's character revealed. I see how responsive he is to his people: "The poor and needy search for water" (Is. 41:17) and God answers, not with a skin of water, not with a well, not with a small rivulet, but with flowing rivers and gushing springs, with pools of water that cause trees of all kinds to thrive (vs. 18-19). God isn't content to give just enough; he is extravagant, excessive, overwhelming in his response.
I see God's tenderness: "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out" (Is. 42:3). God sees life, even in the most desperate of circumstances, and nurtures it. I cannot tell you how many times I have been grateful for this reminder - that God will deal gently with me in my insufficiency.
I am reassured of God's presence, even amidst difficulty: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze" (Is. 43:1-2). I'm always struck by the "whens" in this passage. I can - and should - expect the waters, the rivers, the fire, the flames. I'm equally struck by the strong, upholding hand of the Lord Almighty during these "whens." I will not be overcome; I will not be destroyed; I will not be undone. "You are precious and honored in my sight...I love you" (Is. 43:4). Are there more beautiful words? Though Isaiah spoke these words from God to the nation of Israel, we can know that God feels this way about us, too. If he redeemed Israel out of Egypt because of this love, what can we conclude about his love for us based off our redemption out of sin through the death of his Son?
Beyond his self-revelation, I see God's purpose for his people, too. God calls us "to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness" (Is. 42:6-7). Wow. Jesus declares something very similar about himself in Luke 4 (a portion yet to come in our reading of Isaiah, in ch. 62), but we are here invited into this great, on-going work of redemption. We are God's witnesses and his servants (Is. 43:10, 12), blessed (once more) to be a blessing.
Lord, make us blind to all but you, deaf to all but you (Is. 42:19). Make us that committed to you. Thank you for your inclination toward us, your tender, responsive attitude, your presence in difficulty, your calling for us. We have already been blessed greatly by you. Make us witnesses for you, blessing the world around us. Amen.
- Sarah Marsh
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