Isaiah 63 Treasure part 2

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Sep 132010
 

 What kind of lists do you make? ToDo lists? HoneyDo lists? Wish lists? Black lists? How about a Thank list? Have you ever started a list of things for which you are thankful to God? Where should you start?

“yes, the many good things he has done for the house of Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.” Isaiah 63:7

Good things, Isaiah says. Good things consistent with his compassion for us! What good things has He done for you? By the way, don’t worry, I’m saving the first part of the verse for last.

Thumbs. Have you considered your thumbs recently? Opposable thumbs. The stubby hand accessories that make us able to grasp things around us efficiently. What would life be like without them?

I cut my left thumb quite badly a few days ago. Trying to keep the bleeding stopped and help the healing to begin, I had it bulky bandaged for the rest of the day. Using my four fingers and palm to hold things proved quite awkward. All of a sudden, pulling up my pants became a major obstacle! Holding a piece of toast became a precarious balancing act, not a secure thumb and several finger action. Imagine the difficulty in being productive at the most normal tasks, hoeing in the garden, brushing your teeth, catching fireflies.

Now, my thumb is mostly healed and I am joyfully able to hold on to things, from one of my daughters to my pants! Yes, I’m thankful for thumbs, two active, healthy ones.

 I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us— yes, the many good things he has done for the house of Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses. He said, “Surely they are my people, sons who will not be false to me”; and so he became their Savior. In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. Isaiah 63:7-9

Are you ready to start your Thanklist? If you want your thankfulness to God to come alive and overwhelm you, get away from the generals- you know- “Thank You for my health, for everything, for everybody”. Get specific!

Father, thank You for opposable thumbs as I keyboard this morning. Thank You for being the only One who can mix orange and blue and white in nightly and endless variety in the sunset without the shades clashing. Thank You for…..

Isaiah 63 Treasure part 1

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Sep 132010
 

God’s word is full of treasure. So much of it is just like finding gold nuggets lying on the surface. I am grateful for that! Yet there is more treasure to be be found by parting the grass and looking down in between. There is still more buried far below the level of the roots. Enough for everyone no matter where they are in their relationship with Him.

Let’s do something a little different this week. I have chosen a beautiful passage in Isaiah. It is FULL of treasure! 

 I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us— yes, the many good things he has done for the house of Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses. He said, “Surely they are my people, sons who will not be false to me”; and so he became their Savior. In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. Isaiah 63:7-9 NIV

Doesn’t Isaiah sound like David?  Wow! How many separate treasures can you find? Spend a few moments today letting this passages wash over you.  Look forward to several posts sharing the treasures I have found.  See if I pick the same ones you find! The truth about God. Who He is and what He wants to do with us and for us. That’s what I call treasure!

shared in the workplace 1/16/09.

Peace For Our Time

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Sep 042010
 

“Peace for our time”.

Those words were joyfully shared outside 10 Downing Street in London by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain on September 30, 1938, just hours after returning from a meeting with German Chancellor Adolf Hitler.

“My good friends, this is the second time in our history that there has come back from Germany to Downing Street peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time [emphasis added]. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. And now I recommend you to go home and sleep quietly in your beds.” 

His speech was greeted with shouts and cheers! That very next spring, in March of 1939, th rest of Czechoslovakia fell into Hitler’s hands. While the rest of the world struggled to wake up, the Second World War more formally began with his invasion of Poland on September 1 of 1939, just eleven months after Chamberlain’s recommendation that his countrymen “go home and sleep quietly in your beds.”

So much for peace. There was nothing in Chamberlain’s words to guarantee the kind of peace he was promoting.

Here’s a different question. When you  think of your salvation and the assurance that it is real, does that bring you peace? Or does it make you uneasy and unsure of your future? Does it make you focus on your sins and stress about what you need to accomplish?

Isaiah 53 is a beautiful and well-known passage of prophecy about Jesus and his life and death for us. In the middle of this chapter, a diamond is hidden. In referring to and describing Jesus’ death on the cross, a small bit of information is shared that doesn’t get enough attention.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
       he was crushed for our iniquities;
       the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
       and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 NIV

He was pierced, He was crushed, The punishment was upon Him.

Wait, What?

What punishment? The one that “brought us peace”. That sacrifice was identified as the one that brought us peace.  Jesus intends for us to rest easy in 0ur salvation, trusting in what He did for us. Loving Him for the way He proved His love for us. We can have peace! We can be confident in our future! Isaiah was and so can we.

Jesus, let me never forget that You meant for the gift of your life was meant to bring us peace! Let me lean on you today, safe and secure from all alarms.