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The text I'm reading today is Isaiah 54:1-10. This is such an inspirational book of Scripture! If you can, allow yourself the benefit of reading the text yourself first, at least twice. Ask God to make it speak freshly to you. I'd like to know what catches your attention. For me it's . . .
"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you. (v. 10)
After God expresses that when I'm in a state of callused rebellion against him, he may briefly "abandon" me--in the sense of punishing me--and hide his face from me (v. 7-8), this promise in verse 10 gives me so much peace. If I can't count on anything else in life I can depend on one thing--God does indeed love me with an "unfailing love"! He loves not just me as an individual but his people as a collective group. He loves his church with an unfailing love (the "you" in this passage is plural in Hebrew). He promises that nothing can make him stop loving me! Nothing I've done or might do, no matter how bad, can shake his love. It's the most solid, unmovable force in the universe! He will never withdraw from me his offer of relationship.
That's hard for me to fathom. I'm all too aware of how short-lived the love of humans can be. People can be so fickle and conditional with their love. Maybe the unfailing love of God is the hardest truth about him to really comprehend. It's also the most life-changing. No matter how devalued others may make me feel, the God who created the universe with a word and rules over it finds me--me!--worth his infinite love.
Sovereign Lord, I never want to live in a way that I feel abandoned by you. I confess that when life is painful it sometimes feels like you have turned your face away from me. But I know the truth, this truth you are speaking into my heart today. Thank you for loving me always, no matter what! I feel honored today by who I am in your eyes. Help me to love others with that same kind of unfailing love. Amen.
I would be honored to hear your own reflections on this passage! Please share your thoughts by commenting below. (Sign into your Google account first, or just select Anonymous from the drop-down menu.)
How do you really know this??? How do you really know that you are loved and accepted no matter what you have done. Sure you can say because Jesus died for you but how do you know that you are really forgiven? Why would God love me? Why would He care at all about me when I am so lost and I can't even figure out whether or not I believe He exists. Do you go on blind faith? I feel so completely disconnected and I ask, pray and cry but still nothing. Do I just say sure you said it so it must be true God?
ReplyDeleteYou can only know this by believing God. Why are you so afraid to believe and receive his love? It is your Enemy that is speaking into your mind all of your doubts about God's love. At some point you have to decide which voice you are going to listen to. But you are listening. You either believe Satan or you believe God. If you choose not to believe in either, you are believing Satan. His voice is winning out. But it doesn't have to.
ReplyDeleteWhy not choose to believe the one who created you? Why not let him free you and give your life wings? Will your continued resistance to believing him bring you happiness? You must decide whether you will believe him or not.
Anonymous friend, You have just invited a mighty work of God to start or continue in your life and I, for one, am glad you can speak up and ask these questions, that not everyone understands....
ReplyDeleteIf you are not serving God, then you are serving the Devil. There is no in between. How do you know it's true? Well, one must believe that the Bible is God's written word. Once a person fully gasps THAT, then there should be no doubt: The Bible is the written word of God. Therefore, whatever is in the Bible, is the TRUTH. And my friend, knowing the TRUTH will set you free
You can't believe half of the truth... You either believe you were created by God, in His image, or there was a big boom and poof there we were.
God has a plan for your life friend. Are you spiraling? Come out of the dark and let us help you, no matter what your issues are, you KNOW us, where to find us... just do it! God's love covers a MULTITUDE of sin.... heck.. God's love covers EVERYTHING (1 Peter 4:8)
You ask why would God love you??? God CREATED you! God's love is unconditional. He loves YOU. He may not agree with the decisions you have made in your life. Repent (Romans 3:23 ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God), ask for God's forgiveness and RECEIVE it. BELIEVE you are forgiven because the Bible says you ARE!" ( Matthew 9:2 Take courage my son, your sins are forgiven.)
You say you are feeling so disconnected from God. Surround yourself with Godly people who will pray for you and with you. I invite you to step forward, contact someone, if you are a man, contact Chris, or Kevin Naquin 985-217-2808. If you are a female, contact Kristal 985-217-3858. We genuinely want to talk to you, pray for you and help you.
We have all been in a place where we did not know where to turn or who to turn to. God wants us to turn to Him. You are so precious to Him that He led you HERE.. NOW... He quickened your spirit to boldly respond to this blog, you have cried out for help and this is His answer. Grasp it.