Today’s verses Our Daily Bread had us read before the devotional struck accord with me when I substituted my name for Israel’s name.
Isaiah 43:14-19
14This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“For your sakes I will send an army against Babylon,
forcing the Babylonians to flee in those ships they are so proud of.
A little background researching for this passage shows at the time of Isaiah’s writing Babylon represent a world power against Israel. Israel had yet to be exiled to Babylon. In this passage Babylon represents my enemies which can seem like world powers. Enemies are those things which prevent me from living as Christ-like as I want to be. Enemies such as distractions from my work, even if they are good ones. Or worries about finances. Or thinking about what is going on in the political world and how I feel about it. Enemies can also be depressing thoughts which can sometimes get in the way. These, any many others, can keep me from my Christ-like potential. However, God will give me the victory!
15I am the Lord, your Holy One,
Israel’s Creator and King.
16I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters,
making a dry path through the sea.
17I called forth the mighty army of Egypt
with all its chariots and horses.
I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned,
their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick.
This passage refers to the crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites. God made a dry path through the sea large enough to allow thousands of Israelites to cross. Then when Pharaoh and his army tried to cross over God caused the sea to come back together and swallow them up, but the Israelites crossed over safely. I was thinking what in my life has shown this kind of miracle? So many times, God has been there when there seemed like no hope. My recent move and bout with COVID are good examples. Yet in the past I see God moving me through the waters of divorce and the death of some of my loved ones. All these times God saved me and caused me to grow closer to Him. He is my Holy One. My Creator and King!
18“But forget all that—
it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
19For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
Something new? In the past few months, I have moved to a new city, got a new apartment, and got a new job. For months I have wondered why Lord have You moved me here? Why have You made all these changes in my life so suddenly? Maybe because I needed something new. For nineteen years I lived in the same small town. It was a hard nineteen years.
I went through a divorce. I became a single mom while raising school-age children. I went through nine years of education and have little to show for it. I lost my best friend, my mom and my mother-in-law and father-in-law. I even lost my home once and almost became homeless. I have suffered depression and developed a mild form of PTSD from some of my experiences during these nineteen years. There are many regrets I have from these nineteen years. God was with me and I was growing closer to Him, but my past seemed to be weighing me down. God says ”forget all that”. It is time for God to do something new.
I also have a new church. When I first moved here, I felt strongly I needed to join this church. I amazed how this church seems different somehow. There is nothing wrong with my old church and I love them dearly. They are serving the Lord in their community and doing it well. Yet somehow, I am drawn to this new church in a way I have not felt with my old church. I m already in the process of joining this new church and am on one of the teams which serve coffee and snacks each Sunday. Maybe it is because I was in my old church for nineteen years and I needed something new.
I am still learning why God has made all these changes in my life. I know God wants me to serve Him here. I just need to be open to His leading me in the new thing He is about to do.
What new things is God doing in your life?
I am an affiliate with Christianbook.com Home. Christianbook offers thousands of books, Bibles, educational materials and gifts at great prices. If you click on the link and make a purchase I may earn a small percentage of your purchase at no extra cost to you. This helps with the costs of keeping this website running. Thank you.
No Comments