My mind is a blur. I feel like God is trying to communicate with me but there's a layer of static enveloping the message and fuzzing it up. Can you hear it too? Like a record that has reached the end, but keeps spinning and hissing "sssshhhhhhhhsshhhhhshh..."
Here's what I know - very little. OK, but here's what I have - Chris and I have been going through some old boxes of papers and "stuff" that have been cluttering the garage forever. Chris came across two envelopes. One had my name written in my handwriting, one had his name in his handwriting, both with cards inside. Inside my card I had written simply "Isaiah 42." Inside Chris's he had written "Isaiah 42:1-4." Neither of us recall when the heck we wrote this down and sealed it up, nor why we did it, but there we found it years later. So I looked it up. Then as I read, I recalled how I had gotten this passage once upon a time and really felt like God was trying to tell me something through it back then. Even at that time when I first received it, it was unclear just what the message was, though I had some thoughts on it. Now I read it again as this vague sense of déjà vu came over me.
Anyone want to read it and tell me their thoughts?
And - I was just recalling how fairly recently I felt like there was "an exodus" coming. (I think I even declared so on facebook.) Not really sure what it meant, but I was very excited about it. I thought at the time it might mean an exodus from my dry "dessert" time, but now I'm thinking maybe it wasn't an exodus from the dessert, but rather from Egypt into the dessert. If I spend 40 years here I will truly die.
If that's where I am though, I do think I'm getting my daily manna. So... perhaps I overreacted and I won't die after all.
I'm ready for the roller coaster to stop.
3 comments:
So, I've read it a few times now. Not wanting to make some self-imposed, hokey prophetic proclamation I wanted to think about it for a moment or two. Here is a possibility:
This is who God is making you to be. There is all this softness and gentleness in this verse. Suffering and struggle are usually the things that bring gentleness out in us. So, maybe that's what is happening in you during this time???
I love the footnotes in the Life Application Bible and the way they just bring the scriptures to life just a little bit better.
Vs 1-9 are about how the Servant-Messiah's mission was to bring the people to a knowledge of God. The Messiah. Jesus would fulfill this task and show God himself to the world.
Vs 6-7 explain that Christ's mission, in part, was to be a light for all nations. We can all have a part in this mission, BUT we must first seek His righteousness and let His light shine in and through us before we can be lights ourselves.
Vs 10 asks, Do you really appreciate all that the Lord does for you and through you? If so, let your praise to Him reflect how you really feel.
Vs 19-20 talks about the people of Idreal & Judah being so close to God and yet seeing so little. And WE fail in the same way. Sometimes partial blindness - seeing but not understanding or knowing what is right but not doing it - can be worse than not seeing at all.
And finally, Vs 23 says "Often we are so ready to direct God's message at others that we can't see how it touches our own life. Make sure you are willing to take your own advice as you teach or lead."
These words came directly form the Living Application Footnotes and they have hit me directly in the heart. Bull's Eye!
I don't know it that helps you or not. I hope so.
Two things come to mind here..."Here is my servant whom I uphold." God sees where you are, knows where you are...has you there for a reason, and is fully prepared to uphold you where you are. Because His eyes are upon you and He is upholding you.... verse 4 says "He will not falter or be discouraged". As "chosen ones in whom He delights"....perhaps there is a constant light at the end of the tunnel. But remember, great victories include going through great battles....your life is up to Him, your attitude is up to you. Often times He wants us to see things about ourselves as we go through the battle He has assured us we will win.
Post a Comment