In some recent study I came across a particularly interesting summation of God’s dealings with Israel recorded through Deuteronomy and the Pentateuch.

The book of Deuteronomy is considered by some to basically be a reiteration of the exact record of God’s work in Israel as seen in Exodus. A more balanced approach to the background and context of Deuteronomy along with the other books of the Pentateuch sees the book as a more time specific and fresh look at the giving of the law to a nation filled with different people living in a different time.

“The historical situation just described contributes to the question of the occasion for the Book of Deuteronomy. It (and most likely much of the rest of the Pentateuch as well) was written by Moses on the eve of the conquest of Canaan as a means of addressing a number of questions and concerns. First, it was important that the people understand who they were, where they originated, and what their God intended for them in the years to come. Genesis enabled them to trace their roots back to the patriarchs and to the patriarchal covenant that promised a people and a land. Exodus rehearsed the story of the growth of that people, their redemption from cruel and despotic bondage, and their covenant affiliation with the Lord who called and equipped them to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exod 19:4–6). That book together with Leviticus outlined the means by which the nation might have access to a holy God and how it must function as a holy people in fulfilling the covenant requirements. Numbers provides instruction for the people in movement from covenant to conquest. Finally, Deuteronomy reiterates the covenant, but it does so in a greatly expanded form and in terms appropriate to a new generation, one about to enter a new life experience and to engage in a new realm of responsibility. The Sinai generation of thirty-eight years earlier was largely off the scene; and the new generation, about to embark on conquest, stood in need of covenant reiteration and reaffirmation, a procedure in line with covenant relationships attested to throughout the ancient Near Eastern world.”
(Eugene H. Merrill, vol. 4, Deuteronomy, electronic ed., Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001), 26.)

So basically, Deuteronomy is written by Moses as he is near death. He writes an expanded reiteration of God’s laws to a largely new generational audience just about to enter the promised land. This new Israel needed to be reminded of their purpose, God’s nature, God’s covenant, and God’s expectations for them as they prepare to embark on the culmination of God’s promises to their ancestors. Furthermore, as Moses nears his death, the expanded reiteration would also serve to “rally the people” in unified purpose behind Moses’ successor, Israel’s new leader Joshua. The book of Deuteronomy would become the written text containing God’s laws for the people of Israel living during and after the Canaan conquest. According to Deut. 31:9-13 and Deut. 31:24-26, it contained the charge to the Levitical priests to faithfully read the law before the people as well as his instructions to carry the law in the ark into the promised land.

This basic understanding of Deuteronomy may be rather obvious in the flow of Israel’s exodus and conquest history, but I believe it helps shed light on a section of Scripture often dropped (maybe even without thinking about it) in the “boring” category. It is fascinating to see the five books that start the Old Testament alongside the four books that start the New Testament. One contains the written record of the beginning of time and God’s gracious dealings with His creation in light of the fall. The other contains the written record of the culminating act of grace in bringing God’s salvation to humanity. One contains God’s revelation to a chosen people on journey at the beginning of God’s revelatory and salvific work amidst humanity. The other contains God’s revelation to a chosen people still on journey (although much different) and now awaiting (and realizing) the fruition of their Creator’s promises and work begun in the first five books.

And so Deuteronomy stands along with the other books of the Pentateuch as a record of God’s grace to a chosen people. Next time we read through it’s pages may we read with eyes and hearts attune to God’s faithful work amidst a people called out for a redemptive purpose. Furthermore, may we see the connections of God’s gracious dealings with Israel to our own grace-endowed lives.

And so we today as followers embracing the culminating Divine act of grace stand in awe at our inclusion in our sovereign God’s work of manifesting His grace to peoples and ethnic groups throughout history.

Derek

Text: Isaiah 6:1-13

Introduction:

The book of Isaiah comes during a pivotal turning point in Israel’s history. King Uzziah’s death marks the turning point, where Judah (southern part of Israel) changes from prosperity to threat. God would allow a foreign nation (the Assyrians) to become a threat to Israel. It was through this rise in foreign opposing power (Assyrians now and the Babylonians ultimately later) that God would judge His people for their rampant waywardness. Isaiah is one of the numerous prophets that God sends to warn His people of their rebellion and the coming judgment. So here we come to this pivotal change in Judah’s history. God’s man for the job: Isaiah. However, he must go through a reality shattering process.

Jewish tradition tells us that Isaiah’s dad (Amoz) was the brother of King Amaziah, one of the kings of Judah. This would have made Isaiah part of the royal family. He would have had a secure position standing. Furthermore, it is clear from his writings in Isaiah, that he was blessed with incredible oratory skills amidst a oral culture. Realizing all of this, we come to Is. 6 and see God’s confrontation of this man. A man with position, talent, oral ability and passion, as well as the involvement in Jewish ministry.

It is interesting…God calls Jeremiah and has to reaffirm his calling on this simple man. Isaiah needs a different approach…God drops him to the floor in humility, breaking this man over his way of living life and maybe even pride.

So it is here in Isaiah 6 that we learn how God works in calling His own to salvation and to service in life.

In fact, backing up to a little more general synopsis and it is here in Isaiah 6 that we see God’s Enlightening Work of Shattering Man’s Reality.

TITLE: “God’s Enlightening Work of Shattering Man’s Reality”

So let’s jump in and see the aspects involved in this account of reality shattering:

1. The Reality Confrontation

A Confrontation with Holiness

Is. 6:1 – Sets the date…the same year as King Uzziah’s death. We could speculate regarding Isaiah’s point of view during this time. This was an important transition time for the nation…who would be the next successor and what issues were key important political issues. Well, a man possibly in the royal family with oratory skills…no doubt Isaiah had thoughts about what needed to happen at this critical time. It is this providential timing that God appears before Isaiah. Apparently it is as he is at the temple for regular Jewish worship, that Isaiah sees the Lord’s throne exalted.

Is. 6:2 – Above this throneroom scene seraphim (type of angel) are seen in all of their beauty. Each creature had 6 wings, 2 covering the face, 2 covering the feet, and 2 flying. What an incredible supernatural scene. This definitely would have visually and imaginatively caught Isaiah’s attention! The sheer beauty of God’s throneroom! But wait…there’s more…

Is. 6:3 – These angelic seraphim beings verbally declare something: the holiness of God Almighty. LORD is Yahweh, God’s proper name for the God of Israel and he is declared to Isaiah to be Israel’s Almighty God of hosts…or over all things, peoples, even armies (physical and supernatural). Important Note: repetition of words in Biblical original language is for emphasis of an important truth. (Ex: 2 Kings 25:15 – gold, gold) No where else in Biblical writing is there a repetition in the triple, declaring here the absolute holiness of God. Furthermore, it seems to indicate a continual declaration by these seraphim of God’s holiness. They continue by declaring the sheer glory of the entire earth. Notice too this word “glory.” It carries the idea of a great weight and the reigning down affect of such a weight. The second declaration here closely resembles a quote from Ps. 72:19 that declares, “may the whole earth be full of God’s glory.” Here the angels boldly declare the fact that “the whole earth IS full of His glory!”

* It’s interesting here…nothing other than awe-inspired devotion is forcing these angels to worship and declare God’s glory. They do it merely because He is worthy and that is enough. Oh, would we have that same passion. That all of our lives serve to continually worship and declare glory back to God simply because He is so worthy!

* Oh, this is God Almighty in all of His holiness and all of His earth-shattering, incomprehensible glory! God gripped Isaiah with this and we’ll soon see the result.

Is. 6:4 – the foundations of the surrounding structure shake at the bold and incomprehensible glorifying declaration of God’s nature and the whole area surrounding Isaiah was shrouded in smoke, shrouding the holy depiction of God and full visual revelation of God’s presence (of which no man can look on).

A Response of Utter Brokenness

Is. 6:5 – Now we have Isaiah’s response. Remember this man, possibly part of royalty, skilled in oratory, likely distraught at the current king’s death. Sovereign God has plans for this man. And it all began here…at the revelation of His holiness and humbling of a man of his pride and sense of reality.
Isaiah emphatically says, “Woe is me!” “For I am lost…” He realizes his innate sinfulness amidst the backdrop of God’s sheer holy revelation. He recognizes he is a man of unclean lips. The expression is interesting…lips often used as the edge or bank to a riverway or humanly speaking the entry point to man’s heart. Amidst an oral culture and the speaking role to which Isaiah has been involved, he declares his lips as unclean (Jewish term for ritually and completely dirty and disqualified). Furthermore, his pastoral heart leads him to deeply show concern for his fellow people who find themselves in the same unclean, unholy position.
Notice his reiterated reason for this recognition…for his eyes have beheld God, the King (Judah’s king just died, but amidst the calamity, Isaiah has truly seen the True King), the Yahweh LORD of all peoples!

A Graceful Appeasement of Justified Wrath

Is. 6:6 – Next is a seemingly terrifying scene for Isaiah as one of the seraphim flies to him with a burning coal handled with tongs from the very altar of God. In the OT God’s fire was only used for His wrathful judgment, not refining/purifying like in NT. Knowing this, Isaiah must have thought he was done for as the angel approached.
Notice here, Isaiah’s inability to do anything to merit or gain God’s favor here. At this point he has not agreed to do anything for God. He has only recognized his uncleanness before his Holy God. This is God’s grace manifested in a glorious way!

Is. 6:7 – The seraphim takes God’s burning coal from God’s throneroom and touches his unclean lips (the entry point to Isaiah, the revealed inherent wicked part). Isaiah’s sin and guilt is completely removed! His rampant sin before His holy gracious God is atoned for!

* WHAT AN INCREDIBLE MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE!

* I’m sure we all have testimonies of God’s grace in our own lives. May this text cause you to reflect on the wondrous, incomprehensible grace that you have been given! May it confront your view of reality. May it affect your worship and your life!

2. The Reality Alteration

Isaiah’s Redeemed Response to God’s Calling for Mission

Next after Isaiah’s atonement and purging of sin, God commissions him for his life-task. Isaiah’s version of reality has been completely altered and he is now ready to learn God’s commissioning task for his life. He is now prepared to receive it and he is now able to properly respond to it.

Is. 6:8 – Isaiah now hears God’s voice, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (cool reference to the Trinity) There is a great need…a need that Isaiah has already seen…the wickedness not just of himself, but of his people of Israel. Who will fill this need?
Isaiah passionately responds, “Here am I! Send me.”

Is. 6:9-10 – God responds, “Go to this people declaring,” God’s call to repentance. But notice, God says this people will keep on hearing and seeing but not understanding, perceiving, or fully responding. God further reveals Isaiah’s mission…Isaiah’s prophetic ministry would make the heart of this people dull, their ears and eyes unwilling to change. The people would continue their stubborn ways of rebellion. They would not convert. They would not be healed.

Is. 6:11-12 – Isaiah’s response: “How long, O Lord?” The obvious response of anyone given a commission that seems pointless and futile.
God’s response: “Until the cities are destroyed, laid desolate, without inhabitants.” Judgment due to the people’s continual rebellion would come. God further told Isaiah his mission would continue through God’s judgment and there would be a great forsaking in the land. He speaks of coming enemy opposition and even the coming exile into Babylon. This is a harsh, but realistic glimpse into the future, of what will come. Notice, even God doesn’t place the blame on a foreign nation, but God Himself will cause this judgment…in response and really right in-line with the Israel’s covenant curses promised in Deut. 28:21,63.

* Now, think with me along with Isaiah. What must have entered Isaiah’s head. To be commissioned to spend your life declaring God’s message of repentance and salvation and know that you will not see any results. Wow. What an unbelievably difficult calling in life. (I think of some of Laura’s unsaved family or our unsaved friends response to our missionary work…they just don’t get it.) Well, many of Isaiah’s acquaintances I’m sure would think he was nuts…they just wouldn’t get it. And Isaiah wouldn’t even be able to show them the results or fruits of his laborious efforts. This was a difficult task. And yet, what made him willingly and passionately go along with it???

Is. 6:13 – God continues and chapter 6 ends with a glimmer of hope amidst this grim scene of what would lie ahead for Isaiah’s people. After all of this judgment and the exiled captivity, God would preserve a small tenth remnant. He uses the felling of trees down to a stump remaining as an example. These stumps are then burned. This is the result of the remaining remnant. Even they would still face continuing hardship and opposition. But in all of this, a remnant would be preserved and Is. 11:1 tells us that a wild shoot would spring forth from Judah’s remaining stump. The Messiah Himself, Jesus Christ, would come ultimately through this line from this remnant to redeem the sins of the world!

* So Isaiah has a critical ministry role to play in God’s overall sovereign plan for redemption with His people Israel, and leading toward His redemptive plan for all the nations of the world. Isaiah’s part however, will just not visually see the full realization of all of this awesome plan. Isaiah’s part will in fact, be a quite difficult aspect of this full-redemptive plan.

Conclusion:

So, Isaiah’s perception of reality was completely shattered and altered through seeing God in His holiness and the wake of His glory!

It is clear that Isaiah’s reality change makes him passionately ready to accept God’s calling and commission in his vital role in life!

Have you had such an encounter with God?

One of the cool things about the Bible is that this same God in this story is the same God we serve today!
IT IS MORE THAN JUST WORDS ON A PAGE!

Maybe God can use this text this morning to reveal Himself to you like you’ve never seen Him before!
GIVE GOSPEL…God’s grace can be manifested in your life just as it was here with Isaiah in Is. 6

Maybe as a Christian, God can use this text in your life to humble and rejuvenate your life and passion for life!
Where do your priorities lie? What is your agenda in life?
Do you answers reflect God’s involvement in your life?

Oh, do you see it? God is still in that same throneroom today and graciously wanting to reveal Himself to you in this way. He wants to ignite a passion for life that will shine forth in a reality change. A change that Jesus through the Gospel wants to do in your life in a very practical moment by moment day by day kind of way!

Think of the glory of God you see in this text.
Does your marriage reflect that glory?
Does your parenting reflect that glory?
Does the way you handle your anger reflect that glory?
Does the way you respond to difficulties reflect that glory?
Does the way you forsake sin reflect that glory?
Does the way you treat God’s Word reflect that glory?
Does the way you look at God reflect that glory?
Does your involvement in church reflect that glory?
Does your care for those in need reflect that glory?
Does your passion for those without Christ reflect that glory?

Oh, Isaiah’s reality was completely altered. This reality change (in response to God’s holiness and glory) was the cause of Isaiah’s willingness to serve God amidst the promise of little to no results. Isaiah’s life lived for himself no longer mattered! He now viewed his life through God’s lens. His reality had been altered. He saw God for Who He is. He saw the world for what it is.

God is Creator and Sustainer God. The world is in desperate need of His grace and salvation. Isaiah was the man God was calling to make a difference through proclaiming this, no matter how difficult it would be. A coming Messiah, Jesus, would eventually come as Redeemer!

WHAT is God calling you to in your life?
Maybe it is a big calling like here in Isaiah, to serve God full time in the ministry some how.
Maybe God is calling you to salvation. Jesus was your substitute. Will you by God’s grace accept Jesus by faith today?
Maybe (probably most of us), God is using this text to rattle your apathy, your complacent reality. Will you allow God to rejuvenate your passion for making your life (every aspect of your life) reflect His awesome, staggering glory?

These past couple weeks have truly plunged us into quite the adventure! It’s interesting how God often leads us to related Scriptures as if He know what lies ahead. Funny how that works, huh! One of my interests in the Scriptures lately revolves around the Spirit’s work of leading in the believer’s life. I am currently reading through a related book on this subject. The title and premise of this book curiously grasped my attention. Apparently according to the author’s research, Celtic Christians previously referred to the Holy Spirit as the “Wild Goose.” While I am not exactly sure of the validity of this tale, it’s undergirding principle I believe is somewhat valid and often overlooked in Christendom today. We often neglect the role and logistical capacity of the Spirit’s work today in fear of slipping into some extreme unbiblical teaching on the Spirit. While the afore mentioned subject could encapsulate much writing on a myriad of subtopics, the one of my particular interest currently is the guiding role of the Spirit in the everyday lives of **(continued from 1 page newsletter)** believers. As a hunter or hunting dog may encounter quite the adventure following after a wild goose, I believe Scriptures’ teaching on the Spirit’s guiding in life often bears an uncanny resemblance. It’s not that God is on a mission to plunge us into life of “Indiana Jones” adventure to which maybe we can’t currently relate, but that our submission to His leading may often seem like an adventure. I think this truth is often not just neglected, but completely forgotten and misunderstood. I’m not saying that we all need to go out looking for the most adventurous choice and go for it assuming that God is in it just because it seems adventurous. No, what I am saying is that we don’t often treat the Spirit’s leading seriously and if we truly did, many of us would experience or maybe even realize His often unexpected ways of guidance throughout life. Biblically, we often neglect a submissive and discerning attitude toward the Spirit’s guidance throughout our everyday lives. When Christ walked this earth, He continually directed, taught, encouraged, and rebuked His followers. As He left back to the Father, He promised God’s Spirit would come to continue His function in His physical absence. Do you see it? We live in this Spirit fulfilled age where every believer personally has the indwelling of the Spirit. Just as Christ ministered to His followers in the Gospels, so the Spirit today ministers to modern day followers of Jesus. Jesus taught His followers to ask in faith their concerns and requests regarding guidance in life and really for anything. We have the awesome privilege of asking the Father in faith for His guidance predicated on our relationship to Jesus and answered and enacted through the earthly ministry of the Holy Spirit. Oh, how I know I am so often naive or oblivious to the Spirit’s work in my life! May God truly drive us back to a Biblically-centered understanding of His work in our everyday lives through His Spirit.

Allow me to share our most recent experience with the Spirit’s leading. I pray it will serve as a personal example that may help as some form of encouragement to you. It all started as I continued calling churches for support-raising meetings. Our fall schedule was filling up very slowly. At this same time, we also began looking seriously into “Travel Nursing” positions. In the need to fill the demand of nurses at various hospitals throughout our country, there are several contract nursing agencies that hire nurses to temporarily fill in these nursing gaps. Well, particularly interesting to us was the availability of these positions throughout Alaska. So after praying and seeking counsel, Laura applied to one of these companies. She began receiving Alaska job openings generally lasting around 13 weeks. The only problem initially revolved around a little thing called a state nursing license! It was quite the fiasco, but after several weeks Laura finally secured her Alaska state nursing license. During this license acquiring process, a few jobs had come and gone. So, we continued to wait on God’s leading in the matter. As I continued calling, our fall schedule remained mostly open. As a scheduled missions **(continued here from 3 page E-zine)** conference in Denver drew near, Laura received 2 calls for Alaska job openings. One located in Bethel and the other located in Wrangell. Additionally, there was one previous opening in Anchorage. To make a long story even longer, we earnestly sought God in prayer and listened to godly counsel in the matter. So now at this point we are well into the missions conference when we get a call that the Wrangell position is filled, but Bethel’s is still open. Now, you have to know that Bethel is the exact area where we are praying about initially entering full-time. Needless to say, Bethel seemed like the perfect choice. Bringing this story to a close, Laura received another phone call toward the end of the missions conference week in Denver. I can still recall the phone ringtone and seeing the (907) Alaska area code. The call was regarding the position in Wrangell. Apparently, the medical facility determined they needed another nurse for a 8 week assignment. Obviously, this was a crucial time for prayer as we sought God’s direction in this decision. Questions flooded our minds. Could this be why our fall schedule is so open? Could this be the job for Laura even though it is in a totally different part of the state? Why would God send us to an area where we are not looking to minister full-time? It turns out that the Bethel position remained open, but bypassed Laura’s resume’ in search of someone with a little different qualifications. Remember the whole first paragraph regarding my recent study on the Spirit’s leading. All of these calls came in literally as I was reading and pondering through God’s often unexpected leading and the faith it takes to follow Him even when it doesn’t make much sense. Wrapping up the story, Laura secured the job in Wrangell and we pulled an all-night drive from Denver back to Chicago for our last-minute plane flight to Wrangell. By the way, the airline tickets were another confirmation of God’s leading…He blessed us with an incredible deal!

So here I now sit in our hospital-provided apartment writing this as I look out across Wrangell’s turquoise harbor and surrounded evergreen mountain backdrop. I can’t help but smile at the wondrous, sovereign leading of our God! Laura is enjoying her job here and gaining Alaska nursing experience. We are delighted to connect up with the Baptist church here in town, while we also work on building our 2011 support-raising calendar. While we don’t yet fully comprehend God’s reasons for sending us here to Wrangell, it is crystal clear to us that His Spirit prodded us along as we leaned on Him in total faith amidst our apparent lack of understanding. Why am I sharing all of this? Because I firmly believe that God often delights in bringing His sovereign leading to bear on our finite, independent minds. We as the redeemed in Jesus must bring ourselves back to a submission to the Spirit’s role of guiding throughout life.

You may be asking at this point, What is my point? Well, I am not saying that the current model of raising missionary support is wrong. I also believe the apostle Paul’s “tentmaking” approach can be a valid support basis. I do, however believe that we may need to look at some of the deeper motivations and intentions at the core level of our support raising efforts. What is our motive for raising support? What is our intent for raising support? These questions must be answered in terms of God’s calling on our lives and the faith we are to hold as we endeavor to fulfill that calling. I have learned that it is so easy to lose one’s focus in deputation. It can quickly turn into being all about meeting our budget or providing money for our needs. Obviously, the meeting of our financial needs is kind-of important! But, we must retain our perspective to the calling of God on our lives to live for the Gospel! What is missions all about? Christ commissioned us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel and disciple believers into local assemblies of Christ’s body, the church. Missions is all about the proclamation of the Gospel and it’s outworking for the church. We are called by God to stand in the gap for these Gospel purposes throughout remote Alaska. This is our God-given calling. Now, we are presented with bridging the reality gap between life at home to life on the field. There are obviously certain financial realities that must be met to make this transition possible. This brings us back to the options of “tentmaking” (working a trade on the side to meet financial needs) or “deputation” (raising a monthly committed budget to meet financial needs). Both can be valid, but both must be undergirded with the proper perspective and faith. Our perspective must remain on our calling to proclaim the Gospel and our faith must be rooted in God’s provision to fulfill that calling. We must work in ways that God provides to meet the reality of our financial needs, while also being sensitive to His faithfulness to provide. It cannot be all about what we have to do to meet our budget. What other side job can I take? What else can I do to make some extra cash? What else can I do to get more church meetings? What can I do to get pastors and missions committees to support us? You see what I mean? If we are not careful, our support raising efforts can easily drift from seeking God’s support through faith in His provision to seeking support any possible way that we can acquire it. So as we continue this transition journey to full-time Gospel service in Alaska, please continue to pray for us to retain this proper perspective and faith!

I also really believe these truths that God recently taught us can apply to you as well! Often God takes us down roads in life that require us to find our complete refuge in His limitless resources. You don’t have to be raising financial support amidst a struggling economy to learn about faith in God’s provisions. In our past and partially in our present, we are learning to trust God regarding finances, jobs, housing, family issues, contacts, ministry opportunities, timing, and general leading throughout life. I am sure that you too can track ways that God is teaching you to trust and wait on His provision. Life often involves a series of waits, whereby we must learn patience to acquire the desired result. I recently read through a small-group study booklet on the subject of life’s waits. Through the study, the author develops the premise that God often takes us through periods of waiting for His master purifying purposes. You see, the Gospel is far more than just a prayer we pray. The Gospel is far more than just fire insurance and a home in heaven. The Gospel gives us freedom, a joyful life, an abundant life in Christ now! While faith in Christ (the Gospel of salvation) brings us eternal life in heaven, it enters us into a lifelong journey for God’s full redemptive purposes. God is working with you and me to develop us into the restored image of God, the very image of Jesus. Therefore, everything in the believer’s life occurs for our sovereign Lord’s redemptive purposes. Romans 8:28 and the surrounding context speak to this sanctifying purpose. Hebrews 12:5-11 also speak to this sanctifying purpose of God in the lives of the redeemed. When we come to the subject of waiting in life, we must view these periods through the lens of God’s sanctifying redemptive purposes. The study booklet I read pointed to the faith-exemplified waiting examples of Joseph, David, and even Jesus. Joseph endured a lengthy process of waiting for that which he did not know. As he was faithful to God and rested in His purposes, he became the redeemer of all Egypt and his own family (the very family that would birth the nation of Israel)! David, likewise endured much waiting. He was promised a kingdom. God called him to this crucial purpose. David knew his calling and yet he patiently waited for God’s timing in making this calling a reality. In fact, he waited for 17 years before God promoted him to king of Israel. David learned what it meant to find a refuge in God throughout life’s waiting periods! Even Jesus endured a 30 year wait for the mission to which He was born. Jesus, being God and man, willingly subjected Himself to the Father’s timetable and means of fulfilling His purpose. Satan even gave Jesus an opportunity to short-circuit this wait, but Jesus faithfully waited on the Father’s timing in the Father’s way. In the Old Testament Isaiah beautifully writes to the exiled Israelites regarding God’s faithfulness through their wait. Isaiah 40 exalts God in all of His majesty and glory. The chapter then ends by pointing Israel toward a full reliance on God’s faithful hand of guidance, protection, and provision amidst their wait.

I trust that by now (if you’re still reading at this point) you can see the relevancy and applicability of this waiting thing to our everyday lives! All of us have just finished waiting for something, are currently waiting for something, or will soon enter into a waiting period in life. I mutually encourage you to view your waiting period through God’s purifying perspective and the Gospel’s full redemptive outworking in your life! God is on a mission to conform you to the image of Jesus. He loves you so much that He providentially orchestrates all of life to your greatest Christ-like benefit. As we wrap our minds around this glorious truth, we gain great confidence and unshakeable faith regardless of the surrounding circumstances!

Thanks for reading! I trust God will use this in your life!

Embrace the wait!
Derek

Additionally, I was given the opportunity to preach at our home church recently. Since God has been working on my own heart regarding my waits, this study was a natural pick for me. I pray God can use His awesome Word in your life as well. If it can be of any use, I have included links to 2 file types of the recent Keynote Presentation entitled, “Embracing the Waits in Life.” One file type is a movie file of the slides with transitions. The other file type is a .pdf with the slides and full sermon notes.
Blessings!

Embrace the Waits Video File

Embrace the Waits PDF with Notes

The Church: A Manifestation of the Gospel

Today it seems there is no shortage of books on the negative aspects of the church. It should break our hearts to see the sometimes desperate condition of Christ’s church today! One related passage God has directed me to lately is Ephesians 3.

Paul writes the believers in Ephesus regarding the awesome Gospel, of which he now boldly declares to the Gentiles. He begins chapter 3 by explaining His ministry to the Gentiles in a way that shows the wonders of God’s mysterious plan of salvation…it is a Divine plan worthy of his suffering (vs. 1-7). In verse 8 we catch a glimpse of Paul’s broken humility as he considers himself the least of all believers. As an interesting sidenote, we see Paul’s growing humility throughout his life and ministry (from least of the apostles, to the least of the saints, to the chief of all sinners). He continues by relishing in his humble calling of proclaiming God’s majestic mystery of salvation. He goes on in verse 10 by glorying in the wisdom of God’s great redemption to all those partaking in the glorious Gospel! This redeemed people of God, the church, is proclaimed as the “manifold wisdom of God.” This Paul says is the awesome Gospel that he so longed for the Ephesian believers to comprehend with such awe, that it would propel their worship and lifestyle (vs. 14-19). Paul longed for the love of Christ to be rooted deep within the hearts of the redeemed. He had a passion for the church to experientially know the love behind the Gospel in such a way, that they would be “filled with the fullness of God” (vs. 17-19).

The church is to be a visual representation of the Gospel. Notice in verse 10 that angelic authorities even stand in wonder at the church’s representation of God’s redemptive wisdom in this world. How many of us can truly say that our church is a visual expression of the Gospel; the manifold wisdom of God’s redemption?
Before you proceed in criticizing your church as a whole, take a look inside. How are you contributing to the church’s Gospel manifestation? When people get to know you, do they stand in awe at the manifold wisdom of God’s redemptive work? We must train our minds to think in this way! Are our lives characterized by the evidences of the Spirit…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, etc. (Gal. 5:22-23)? Think about the way you react to circumstances in life. Do you respond in a way that manifests the wisdom of God’s redemption? Think about the way you conduct yourself at work. Do your ethics and interpersonal relations manifest the wisdom of God’s redemption? Think about the way you live everyday amidst your own family. Does your family life (as a parent, child, teen, spouse, sibling, extended, etc.) exhibit the manifold wisdom of God’s redemption? Although no one may see it, does your private life exhibit the manifold wisdom of God’s redemption? Now, carry this over to your involvement at your church. Does your particular presence and/or ministry at your church exhibit the manifold wisdom of God’s redemption? We as the body of Christ must train (and in some cases re-train) ourselves to view our lives and ministries in an Ephesians 3 way. The various ministries of our churches should reflect the glorious Gospel. The way our church services are conducted (everything from the greeting, announcements, worship, preaching, and closing) should reflect the glorious Gospel. They very philosophy, vision, and strategy of our churches should reflect this manifold wisdom of God’s redemption. The way that we as believers live within the weekly community of our churches should reflect this manifold glorious Gospel. Do you see it? Every facet of life and ministry should reflect the manifold wisdom of God’s redemption! How often do we think this way personally? How often do we in our churches think this way?

May we allow God to burn our hearts with the passion of Paul here in Ephesians 3! May we allow our Redeemer God to convict and transform the way we live and serve as His manifestation to this broken world of His awesome plan of redemption!

In His Grace,
Derek

James writes his self-named epistle to his fellow Jewish believers, now scattered from the current religious oppression. These believers underwent much opposition and unjust treatment from the Romans, the rich landowners, and those in positions of religious influence. It is in this context that James encourages his fellow believers to count these trials with the spirit of joy, anticipating God’s sovereign work of refining (1:2-4). Paul’s writing in Romans 8:28 also encourages this hopeful mindset.

As we enter James’ fifth and final chapter, he again again addresses those struggling under various trials. Although we don’t know his exact situation, the immediate context of the earlier verses of chapter 5 seem to indicate a trial of oppression under the rich landowners (5:1-6). James then encourages the oppressed to presevere through their current hardships in verses 7-12.

Now to the prayer section. Verses 13-18 direct the reader’s focus vertically to their new direct Divine access through prayer. James calls the attention of all believers here; the suffering, the cheerful, and the sick. They are encouraged to bring their burdens to the feet of their Redeemer in prayer. There is an emphasis on the effectual prayer ministry of church leadership as well as the simple faith of all believers. Verse 16 calls all believers to bear one another’s sin struggles in a spirit of confession and mutual edification. These sins are then linked to God’s work of healing (whether a reference physically or spiritually, we’re not specifically told). It is in this context that James declares the well known statement, “the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” Verse 18 gives an Old Testament example of this in Elijah’s prayer regarding a famine. Elijah’s faith and effectual prayer is seen in 1Kings 17-18 as he prays for the coming and completion of judgement through a famine. It is this same type of faith and results that James refers to in his call to prayer for the scattered and struggling believers.

As I mentioned at the outset of this article, I believe these truths to be very pertinent to our present situation. So as we enter this time of national prayer focus, let us draw our attention to the awesome gift of faith and access through intercession to the Creator and Sustainer of all things! While we may not find ourselves in the exact situation and undergoing intense oppression from our governmental authorities as the Christian Jews in James’ time, our nation is definitely not heading in a great direction! Furthermore, we all go through (or will go through) trials at some point(s) in life. How often do we really bring our feelings and the petitions of our hearts to our God with this James 5:17-18 type of faith? God desires us, the righteous in Christ, to come before Him in earnestness and faith. Think about that for a moment! We, as believers in Christ, are considered righteous in God’s sight! We have the very righteousness of Christ! How awesome is that! Ok, anyway, that was a bit of a sidenote. But, you see, the righteous whom James refers to in verse 17 is us Christ followers! So God says here that the prayers of a righteous person (that would be you and me as believers) have access to much power–a power that brings about real results. Think about that…the powerful Creator and Sustainer of all things promises His redeemed children His power in answered prayers! Look at the early church in Acts and how they prayed. Prayer was continually a priority throughout the book of Acts and one can see the mighty hand of God working. Think of Peter’s imprisonment and the church’s earnest prayers and his miraculous deliverance. Outside of Scripture think about George Mueller and his faith in God’s mighty hand. Regarding missions, I think of the modern day example of a guy surnamed Brother Andrew and others like him working in restricted nations today. My point is this: we still serve the same mighty God, the very Creator and Sustainer of the universe. It is His awesome power that we have available in our prayers! Do we (do I?) have this kind of mindset and faith everytime we (I) go to prayer? I would have to admit that I frequently take this for granted and forget the awesome God we serve and the precious gift of intercession that we have been given! Furthermore, do we truly have the kind of open honesty, care for others, and edifying spirit within our churches? So often our prayers are weak and kept to ourselves. How many times have we sat through church prayer meetings half-heartedly engaged and not willing or even desiring to open up to our fellow brothers and sisters about our struggles and requests?

Well, much more could be said regarding these truths, but I trust God will use His Word here in James 5 to convict and transform your passion toward prayer! As you enter this National Day of Prayer, remember these truths and pray to our great God in a bold faith that He will accomplish His sovereign purposes in our nation! As you enter your church’s next prayer meeting, remember these truths and pray with a passion for your fellow blood-bought brothers and sisters in Christ! Finally, as you enter your private time of prayer with the God of the universe, remember these glorious truths and pray with wide-eyed adoration and unwaivering confidence in God’s mighty power!

In His Grace and all for His Glory,
Derek

PS: Check out a few interesting related videos from YouTube below:

I would like to consider what really is the core content of missions. In such consideration, several passages come to mind (Isaiah’s here am I passage, the other great commission texts, etc.). Let’s come at it from a little different angle. In fact, let’s come to the subject of missions by looking at it’s core content. What is missions all about? What is ministry in general all about? What really is life all about?

Now, we could say that the answer to all of these questions could be the glory of God, just Jesus Himself, or the worship of our God. While all of these answers really would adequately answer our questions, allow your mind to focus on the core content behind these things. Thought in this way, the core content of missions, ministry, and life really is the Gospel. The text of Romans 8 brings us front and center to a glorious exposition and proclamation of this glorious Gospel!

Paul writes to the Roman church familiarizing himself, his ministry, and his calling to these scattered house churches. He lays the foundation for this precious Gospel by using the first few chapters to explain mankind’s desperate condition in sin…hopeless on our own! He then begins in chapter 5 to introduce the Gospel as God’s plan for salvation through faith for all humanity; past, present, and future. Even Abraham and the OT generations were saved through faith in Jehovah. Paul also compares the all-encompassing work of Adam (to sin) to that of Christ (to redemption). Chapter 6 further builds on the Gospel’s call to freedom over sin’s enslaving power. Chapter 7 relates to the continuing struggle over the flesh and sin even after salvation, but directs the reader toward great hope in the freeing power of the Gospel!

We then come to Romans 8, an incredible passage upholding and declaring the sufficiency of the Gospel of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ!

The truths of Romans 8 boldly declare the sufficiency of the Gospel and should be our motive for living and ministry! It is for these reasons that I believe the sufficient Gospel (as expounded in Romans 8 as well as other texts) is the core content of missions. Now that may sound like a “duh!” statement, but hear me out. I’m not just saying that missions is about the Gospel. I’m trying to get us to go deeper here; deeper into the glorious truths of the Gospel. A proper understanding and fresh appreciation of the glorious sufficient Gospel must be the core motive for life, ministry, and missions. Do you get yet? I trust you will as you read on and study the awesome truths of Romans 8!

Let’s dive in and catch a glimpse of the Gospel’s sufficiency through four glorious truths!

1. The sufficiency of the Gospel viewed in comparison to the OT law and any form of legalism. (8:1-13)
This truth is awesome! Our salvation depends completely on God’s work, not us! Paul explains that human efforts to live completely holy lives end in utter failure. The law stood as a neon sign pointing to this depravity. In fact, any sort of law or legalistic set of rules cannot make us holy because we will inevitably continue failing. This is one of the glorious truths of the Gospel; that it is a work that has totally been complete by God Himself! Our sovereign God calls and we respond-glorious! The Gospel is glorious and should propel our desire to love our God through life, ministry, and missions!

2. The sufficiency of the Gospel viewed through the glorious truths of adoption and inheritance. (8:14-17)
Adoption in our world is such a great thing, because it points to the glorious truth of salvific adoption! How awesome is this truth! Think about it. Our Creator God is holy and Ruler of all things. We, on the other hand are rebels, alienated from our Creator in sin. God in His great grace and mercy, freely extends His way of salvation to us. Christ substitutes His righteous life, death, and conquering resurrection to our account. Our Creator God adopts us into His family. He credits Christ’s righteousness to our account! Furthermore, Paul writes about the great inheritance we have in Christ. As adopted children of God, we now are joint heirs with Christ for a glorious eternity in heaven! The Gospel is glorious and should propel our desire to love our God through life, ministry, and missions!

3. The sufficiency of the Gospel viewed through it’s purifying affect in the lives of the redeemed. (8:18-30)
This third truth is really cool as well! You may recognize verse 28 where Paul says that all things work together for good in the lives of God’s own. Well, verse 28 is beautiful set in its proper context! Notice in the preceding verses (26-27), Paul refers to God’s will and the Spirit’s work of interceding for believers. You see, our great God is so sovereign that He has a perfect plan that implements all things for His good intentions in our lives. As believers, we share in the Gospel’s saving power, in it’s adoption, and in it’s inheritance. But, we also share in the Gospel’s glorious intentions and fruit in live after our salvation. God’s intent is to make us more like Christ, eventually fully glorifying us in heaven with Him. In this light, you can understand Paul’s statements regarding the creation’s eager longing for this full redemption. This life-long redemption (or sanctification) is wrought through God’s gracious, refining work on our lives. When viewed properly, every single thing that happens in life, occurs for God’s gracious sanctifying intent on our lives. Our God loves us so much! He is worthy of our praise! The Gospel is glorious and should propel our desire to love our God through life, ministry, and missions!

4. The sufficiency of the Gospel viewed through the passionate response of the redeemed. (8:31-39)
Well, if you’ve been really following the progression of Romans 8 at this point, the remaining verses don’t need much commenting! Can you see the glorious truths of the Gospel? We are totally deprave, alienated from our God. Nothing we can do can repair our sin’s gap of separation. God in His infinite grace adopted us and gave us a glorious inheritance. It is now throughout our life that our God continues His gracious refining purposes as He works all things for our good. The Gospel is sufficient! The Gospel is glorious! At this point in Romans 8, Paul can do nothing but respond in passionate worship of our awesome God! Read 31-39 and relish along with Paul in God’s glorious Gospel! Oh, do you see it? The Gospel is glorious and should propel our desire to love our God through life, ministry, and missions!

Wrapping up:
You see, it is as we relish in our great God and the awesome Gospel that we really understand the glorious redemption we share! This glorious understanding will then be the best and really only appropriate motive to life, ministry, and missions! I trust this has made sense. It is my prayer that God would wet your appetite for a fresh study of His Word relating to the Gospel. Spend some time working through Romans 8 or the entire book. Ask God to give you a fresh understanding and appreciation for this awesome Gospel that, I pray, we all share! Allow your appreciation of the Gospel to evidence in your life (as Paul evidenced through the glorious praise of 31-39) through worship, submission, and service. As we personally continue our preparation for missions service in Alaska, it is my conviction that the best motive and core content of missions is a Romans 8 understanding, appreciation, and passionate response to the Gospel.

In His Grace and all for His Glory,
Derek

Colossians 2:13-14, “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, (14) by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” Did you catch that? All of our sin debts, separating us from our Creator God, were nailed to the cross! Divinity in the flesh bore God’s just wrath against our sin on that cross! Wow! Picture all of your sins literally being nailed to the cross as God’s righteous anger consumes His Son and the Son’s pure blood literally cleanses our filthy rags of wretchedness!

Philippians 2:8-11, “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (9) Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, (10) so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (11) and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Our great sovereign God’s plan for redemption centered on the cross. All of history points to that pinnacle weekend in history when the God-man, the very essence of righteousness, willingly offered His life as mankind’s substitute for God’s wrath. I really appreciate the study notes on verse 8 from the ESV Study Bible: “Crucifixion was not simply a convenient way of executing prisoners. It was the ultimate indignity, a public statement by Rome that the crucified one was beyond contempt. The excruciating physical pain was magnified by the degradation and humiliation. No other form of death, no matter how prolonged or physically agonizing, could match crucifixion as an absolute destruction of the person… It was the ultimate counterpoint to the divine majesty of the preexistent Christ, and thus was the ultimate expression of Christ’s obedience to the Father.” Christ’s subjection to the Father’s will in identifying with humanity went far past a mere adherence to human form, but extended past identification to agonizing sacrifice to the highest degree. He lived a sinless life for us! He endured the mockery for us! He willingly allowed His life to be taken on the cross! Most staggering above all is that our Jesus willingly allowed Himself to be separated from the Father as He literally bore the wrath of the sins of all history!

May we respond to the glorious truths of Easter along with Paul in resounding worship, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34 ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?’
35 ‘Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?’
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:33-36)

Living in the Shadow of His Cross,
Derek

Acts 1:8 is often understood as part of the Great Commission directly applying to all believers in Christ Jesus. However, a closer look at the passage reveals a more time specific meaning. While it is true that we as believers are entrusted with the humbling responsibility of being ambassadors for Christ, this text describes a one time occurrence. The particular word of interest is “power” in verse 8, referring to a miracle working ability. A comparison of power’s Greek form (dynamis) in the rest of Luke’s Acts reveals a common usage relating to the working of miracles. Contextually, Jesus’ disciples are with the resurrected Christ just prior to His ascension to the Father. This is in effect their last chance of receiving direct revelation from their Lord (outside of the Scripture’s inspiration, but they didn’t know that). Still not completely grasping God’s kingdom purposes or timing, they ask Him in verse 6 if He will now establish God’s kingdom to Israel? In verse 7 Jesus responds with a declaration of their purposeful ignorance regarding God’s timing. It is in no man’s right or expectations to know God’s timetable. He does further respond though (with this context in mind) in verse 8, But you disciples will receive miracle working power after the Holy Spirit (the Comforter) comes to indwell and enable you, and you disciples will then be my witnesses confirming and authenticating my Gospel and the church throughout your immediate area of Jerusalem, beyond to nearby Judea, yes then even to half-bred pagan Samaria, and even having an extending influence to the uttermost parts of the globe. Immediately after speaking this authoritative work, Jesus ascends up to heaven.

When seen in this context and original meaning, Acts 1:8 portrays a different application than the one usually assigned to it. Again, we believers do Biblically stand under the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20 of making disciples as we actively participate as Christ’s ambassadors of redemptive hope. However, the more accurate application of Acts 1:8, set in it’s original context, is a rock solid confidence in God’s mission of building His church through the redemptive work of Christ alone. There are many today who doubt the authenticity of the church regarding it’s purpose. Sadly many of today’s youth are forsaking the church for other objects of what they think will bring them “authenticity,” “confidence,” “meaning,” and “purpose.” There is surely no perfect church, but we can take the utmost comfort that this thing we call the church today has it’s roots securely anchored here in Acts 1:8. All of us go through times when we doubt the church’s authenticity or applicability to our present world. All of us go through times when we lapse into a lazy apathy toward our involvement in church ministry. All of us go through times when we let the seemingly small influence of the church and the insurmountable needs of our world discourage us. May we all let the authenticating declaration of Acts 1:8 stand as a bold signpost proclaiming the surety of God’s sovereign plan of redemption and sanctification through the church’s worldwide expansion, begun with the miracle-enabled authenticating apostles and continuing with stedfast Christ followers today. God is on a mission; a mission of building His church. We must recognize the confidence we have in Christ and then faithfully respond with willing hearts receptive to change and humble servitude.

Download A Recent Related Sermon Handout Here!

Derek

We are still booking meetings and are going to be very busy traveling soon. In the meantime since I am home, I am able to still participate in a Tuesday evening Youth Prison Bible Study. Last week I volunteered to do this week’s lesson. Our lesson last week was on the signs of Christ’s imminent return. Little did we know that one of the signs mentioned in Matthew 24 and elsewhere (earthquakes) would become front and center in our world this week. So, rather than proceed with the topic and text that I originally had planned to bring, my heart is drawn to Isaiah 40. What an awesome, awesome text! Please read this with an open heart and let God show you this glorious text!

Isaiah wrote chapter 40 to the exiled Jews not in Babylon due to God’s judgment. I am not saying that the earthquake in Haiti was God’s judgment. Although this chapter was written to exiles in judgment, they would have descendants who found themselves in great difficulty and wondered if God had abandoned them. Furthermore, it is a chapter applicable today not to just those in exile, but I believe to all of us who find life’s road often plagued with difficulty and the occasional chaos.

Isaiah opens up declaring a great comfort to God’s people! Comfort, why? Our lives are horrible (they must have thought). Verse 3 declares a voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the LORD (YHWH!) This is awesome because in Mark 1 God reveals that this preparer is John the Baptizer and the One is Jesus. Notice the language in Is. 40:3; LORD (meaning Yahweh). Then in Mark 1 this is revealed as Jesus. Do you see it? Jesus is revealed as God, Yahweh Himself manifest in the flesh! Wow! Awesome! Is. 40:5 then declares God’s great glorious plan of redemption through the One (Jesus). God’s message to exiled Israel here was that there is purpose and hope even in the chaos of life. There is Hope! There is coming ultimate Redemption! Why were they to trust in this promise amidst their apparent chaos? Why can we take hope in this as well? Why can those in Haiti and others suffering throughout the world take comfort? All of humanity can take comfort in God’s promise for ultimate hope and redemption because our God is great and sovereign over all creation!

Isaiah now uses verses 6-26 to explain the greatness, sovereignty, and trustworthiness of God. Verses 6-7 show us that life is temporary. James tells us elsewhere that life is as a vapor. Creation is temporary. Humanity is temporary. Amidst this temporariness God and His Word stands as eternally sound (vs. 8). Now in verse 9 Isaiah boldly declares ramps up the intensity of his writing. What he is about to say is such good news, that it is commanded to be shouted as good news from the mountain tops without fear! Verse 10 God is declared as mighty. Verse 11 God is compared to a gentile, loving Shepherd giving guidance and comfort to His flock. Verse 12 describes God’s greatness. He holds the earth’s waters in the palm of His hand. He marks off the heavens with an open out-stretched hand. The world’s earthen dust is easily measured by Him. The vast mountains are weighed in simplicity by Him. Verses 13-14 declares God as almighty and as knowledge itself personified. Verses 15-17 declare God as supreme over all nations. The nations are insignificant, like a drop of moisture in a bucket. Lebanon (a great enemy power of Israel at that time) was nothing before God. Even the world’s strongest antagonistic nations are nothing before our God! Verse 18 then poses the question of God’s comparability. Verses 19-20 talk of the insufficiency of idols; for even the very best materials manufactured to make idols come from the essence of God’s created world! Verses 21-22 declare God as eternal Creator. He set up the very foundations of the earth. God is so great, it’s as if He sits on the earth as His stool. Humanity is nothing before His greatness; we are like mere grasshoppers before Him! God stretched all creation out in the ease and likeness of draping a curtain. God is so great, it’s like the entire universe is a snowglobe on His desk! Verses 23-24 declare His absolute rulership over all earthly rulers. Who then in verse 25 can God be compared? Lift up your eyes to the heavens in verse 26 and ask, who created the stars? All the heavenly stars, solar systems, and planets were created, numbered, names, and continually upheld by God. God is sovereign over all!

Based on all the preceding verses (6-26), Isaiah now brings his writing to a culmination. In verse 27 the question is asked, Why exiled, chaos-stricken Israel do you worry God has abandoned you? To exiled Israel then and to suffering humanity now, God has not abandoned you! “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.” (vs. 28) When life turns to chaos, humanity can take comfort that God is Everlasting, Creator, Sustainer, never faint, never weary, the very essence of Knowledge and Wisdom! He is God Almighty and worthy of all our adoration and trust! This Jehovah God Almighty imparts His unsearchable power and strength to frail humanity! Wow!

Now, hold on and refocus if I have lost you. The ending verses of Isaiah 40 are often quoted without noting the preceding beautiful context. You see, it is in this context of humanity’s frailty and worry of God’s abandonment amidst chaos, that God boldly declares through the prophet Isaiah, “Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:30-31) Did you get that? What an awesome truth! Even humanity’s strongest will grow tired, but God will uphold the one who rests in Him! Even amidst life’s chaos, our Awesome God–Creator, Jehovah, Yaweh, Sustainer, Deliverer, Conqueror, Shepherd, Comforter, King–He will rejuvenate and uphold the one who rests in Him! Do you see the beautiful picture of Isaiah 40 set in it’s context? To frail humanity: God has a plan! God is on a mission! He has a plan for ultimate redemption of His own! To the exiled Jews then, to residents of Haiti today, and to all of us who endure life’s hardships God reveals that this plan will often involve suffering. The plan is not always easy, but God is Creator, Sustainer, and Culminator! God is sovereign and based on all of Isaiah 40, only a rest in Him will bring us through this life! The one who turns in faith to our great God through Christ amidst chaos will persevere!

Wow! I pray we all let that sink in and affect us appropriately! Our God is King and He rules over all! What a comfort! What a hope! In closing I think of Paul’s words in Romans 8:35-39, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sward? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Derek