Sometimes looking into our past is a healthy thing. Especially when we are revisiting the places in our past where God was faithful...and we need to be reminded of this currently.
Throughout much of my life, His faithfulness was present but unseen by me, I was too busy, to preoccupied with myself and too wrapped up in trivial things of life, to really see or recognize just how protected I really was. Times of pain, times of trial, I got through them and grew only by the grace of God! But now, my eyes are more open, and my heart more ready too see and look for the rescuing hands of God in my life.
Don't you find it encouraging when someone reminds you of how you were cared for, protected and upheld by God in your past, to help inspire you for a difficult time of today? Well, that is what Isaiah did for the people of Judah too...I learned this morning that in Isaiah 10:16-27 the people are just plain down and out. They have felt the heavy hand of the Lord as a result of their disobedience in life, and reliance upon other things than God, and now, they are starting to feel abandoned, rather than disciplined. Anyone else feel that way? Me too.
But God came in with a message of encouragement, telling them to "Remember Egypt" and how He rescued his grumbling Israelite children in the battle at the Red Sea.
Perhaps you know the story...
They are being chased all night, Egypt wants the Israelites back as slaves, and the Israelites want their freedom...So with leader Moses taking them out of their captivity and the Pharaoh and his men hotly pursuing them, they come to the banks of the Red Sea. No man could cross that sea without the hand of God intervening! How would they ever cross such a vast space of water without boats? No problem God says, I've got a solution! (paraphrased) And God tells Moses to lift up his arms, spread them wide, and as he did so, the Red Seas parted, and the Israelites now how dry sand to walk upon all the way to their safety. That sure speaks of God's faithfulness!
But it seems that even though all was going to be OK now, the Israelites turn around only to see Pharaoh walking on the same sand that they were! Then, God puts the Sea back where it belongs, and the Egyptians die as the waters pour down in upon them. God has won in victory, and the people were saved.
So this is what Isaiah draws from as inspiration to the people of Judah as they speak of feeling abandoned to the grave. We are never abandoned.
So in the chaos of life today, and as we stand at the bank of our Red Sea, what do we need to be reminded of? Where can you pull from in your past that proves His faithfulness to you? I'm revisiting those places in my heart and mind today, and perhaps doing this would help you my friends as well...
All God asks is that we rely upon Him alone. He wants our full reliance from us, for the freedom/hope/rescue and salvation that we so desperately need in this life. There is no other source, place or person who can take you up out of your pain...no other place offers a solution that will last. What if Moses did not listen to God, and looked to Him and said, "No, I think I'll run back to town and rent a pontoon boat...that seems more logical to me God...."
Well, I'm sure we can all figure out what would've happened to the Israelites...
And so it is with us. When we receive encouragement, and solutions for our pain in life from the Lord, we ought to take Him up on it. When we are in touch with God, and being sensitive to His voice in our hearts and ears, we will know just what we ought to do.
So first, we know how to encourage ourselves...Look back and revisit those times of God's faithfulness that live in your past. Then, ask Him for guidance in our present dilemma, and act when He speaks. How do we know the voice of God? He will make it known to you, it will quietly drown out the rest of the world, so that we can hear...
So as I sit and listen today, waiting, watching, asking for His guidance, I pray you will do the same...knowing the He who is faithful, is always faithful...both yesterday and today.
Check out where I was last year, Nov. 1st. :) click: HERE
(Faithful then, faithful now.)
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