Thursday, August 4, 2022

today's mediation (Is.64) Striving to Stay Close To God

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Isaiah 64:1-12) 
1   Oh, that You would tear open the heavens and come down,
     That the mountains would quake at Your presence—
2   As fire kindles brushwood, as fire causes water to boil—
     To make Your name known to Your adversaries,
     That the nations may tremble at Your presence!
3   When You did awesome things which we did not expect,
     You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence.
4   For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear,
     Nor has the eye seen a God besides You,
     Who acts in behalf of one who waits for Him.
5   You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness,
      Who remembers You in Your ways.
      Behold, You were angry, for we sinned,
     We continued in our sins for a long time;
     Yet shall we be saved?
6   For all of us have become like one who is unclean,
     And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;
     And all of us wither like a leaf,
     And our wrongdoings, like the wind, take us away.
7   There is no one who calls on Your name,
     Who stirs himself to take hold of You;
     For You have hidden Your face from us 
     And have surrendered us to the power of our wrongdoings.

8   But now, Lord, You are our Father;
     We are the clay, and You our potter,
     And all of us are the work of Your hand.
9   Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord,
     Nor remember wrongdoing forever.
     Behold, please look, all of us are Your people.
10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness,
     Zion has become a wilderness,
     Jerusalem a desolation.
11 Our holy and beautiful house,
     Where our fathers praised You,
     Has been burned by fire;
     And all our precious things have become a ruin.
12 Will You restrain Yourself at these things, Lord?
     Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
There is evidence of God all around., even in creation itself.  And God is always reaching down to us, we just have to open our eyes to see that.  Even after we become a child of God, He reminds us to keep looking to Him for His strength and help.  His hand is always reaching out to us, we just have to strive in a continuous effort to stay close to Him.  
While "striving" may sound like so much work - it is much easier than we imagine.  In our humanness, we will be impatient and have questions and doubts, but God is faithful, and His timing is perfect.  It helps to remember the works that He has accomplished in the past.  It also helps to know that as we wait for God, He works on our behalf!  As we continue to go to the Lord in all circumstances, He shapes us and matures us in His righteousness, and gives us His strength, peace and joy!  In our striving, He does everything for us!

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