e mërkurë, 17 shtator 2008

Isaiah 54:4-8

Passage: Isaiah 54:4-8
4 "Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;
be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
5 For your Maker is your husband,
the LORD of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
6 For the LORD has called you
like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of youth when she is cast off,
says your God.
7 For a brief moment I deserted you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
8 In overflowing anger for a moment
I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,"
says the LORD, your Redeemer.

Journal: Isaiah often speaks of the compassion of God. Today's verses point to His grace once again. [v. 8 -- "In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you," says the LORD, your Redeemer."] Note that the anger of God towards His children is for only a season, but that the love of God is everlasting. [v. 7 -- "For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you."] However, these relational postures are not by happenstance, for it would have been within God's perfect justice to allow His anger with a sinful people to be everlasting and His love to be severed as a sinful consequence. Yet, His grace has allowed for a redeemer that has given His children a positional standing with and for Him. [v. 5-6 -- "For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. For the LORD has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God."] The "cast off" wife illustrates our positional standing as a sinful people; yet, He has "called" us as a husband to the wife of His youth. A reconciliation which is made possible only by our Lord and Savior. "Fear not, for you will not be ashamed . . ."

Heard 'Round the House:
This "highbrow" conversation occurred last night. I had been invited to a dinner for Sarah Palin that would cost a mere $1,000 per plate and Jill had suggested [tongue in cheek] that I go and take the whole family since it would only be $9,000 --
Alex: "We are going somewhere?
Song: "What dinner?"
Luke: "Who is Sarah Palin?
Mom: "She is running for vice president?"
Luke: "Why was dad invited to that?"
Mom: "A friend of his asked him."
Luke: "Is he going?"
Mom: "It would cost a $1,000 for just daddy to go. So, I don't think he will be going.
Song: "Is the food really good or something?"