Our Teacher/Student Relationship

For his God instructs and teaches him properly. Isaiah 28:26

It touches my heart to know that the God of the universe, the Creator of everything, is the very One who teaches me. He is my Tutor. What kind of teacher is He? A couple years ago I would have said He was harsh, demanding, unrealistic, impatient, and critical. To sit in His classroom was uncomfortable to say the least. But when I began to see His true character the whole scene changed.

Now I would say He is loving and extremely patient. He is thorough and does not hesitate to repeat a lesson until I actually have it. He knows me intimately so is aware of my individual learning style. He knows my past as well as my future and already has each day of instruction planned. His desire is to have my undivided attention and notices when that is not the case.

There are times when my heart is divided, my love for learning is dulled, and my lack of motivation is apparent. But He remains the same. He knows when the light bulb has come on for me and rejoices to see it! To see His look of approval and hear His words of pleasure are such great rewards.

And yet, I know there are times I grieve Him. Times when, although He loves me, He does not approve of my actions or attitudes. Times when I fail to do my assignments. Times when I do poorly on tests. Times when I am not even close to an ideal student. Times when discipline becomes part of the process. All is done in an effort to reintroduce me to a hunger for learning and a thirst for Himself.

I am learning it is okay to go to God and admit what is really in my heart. When I lack motivation I am free to ask Him to put that in me. When I lack love for others I am free to ask Him to give me His heart. In other words, whatever I am in need of, I can take it to Him, admit it, and ask for His filling in that area. This is a new truth and new experience for me in this new year.

Father, I am present in Your classroom throughout my life. May I be receptive to ALL You teach me. Amen

Built and Maintained

Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation, he that believeth shall not make haste. Isaiah 28:16

How firm a foundation, Jesus is the Rock of my salvation, My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness, The wise man built his house upon the rock. These are just a few of the songs that came to mind as I read this verse. How true that Jesus is the basis upon which our faith and hope is supported and stands. Come what may we know that our salvation is built upon truth that never changes, solid ground that never shifts, and absolutes that never give way to public opinion.

But a new aspect of this verse became apparent to me when I realized another meaning for foundation. It can refer to an organization or institution established by endowment with provision for future maintenance. Think of your life as the organization or institution that was established by Christ. Through faith in Him, He put us in a favorable position with Himself. It was then that we became members of His family and are given the full rights and privileges due to His children.

But the second part is what made my spirit leap. He has made provision for future maintenance. Just like when God created the universe and provided it with the necessary laws to keep it gong and continues to be involved in that process, He does the same thing with us as His new creations. He has given us all the things we need for the journey. As Ephesians 1:3 says, "He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing." The journey is not in seeking to obtain all that God has promised, but in realizing what is already ours. To embrace it, own it, and gain the full advantage of it.

We have a loving heavenly Father who is actively involved in the maintenance of our Christian life. He keeps us, preserves us from failure and decline, sustains us against opposition or danger, upholds and defends us, supports us, and provides for us. Our part is to cooperate with God as He does His work in us. May we not get in His way.

Father, You continue to amaze me with Your personal involvement in my life. May I never resist You. Amen.

The Right Kind of Refuge

For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception. Isaiah 28:15

Have you ever been lied to or deceived by someone you trusted? Living your life daily under the banner of "buyer beware" can leave you feeling drained. Someone has wisely said, "Growth in the Christian life begins with learning the truth about God, learning the truth about me, and letting the truth about God impact the truth about me."

It is easy to trust others to give us all the answers. I have seen many people follow false leaders to spiritual ruin. For those of you who are old enough to remember Jim Jones, you immediately see the 900 plus dead bodies lying all over the ground of the compound in Guiana. They had been lied to and they sought refuge in those lies. I am sure many people tried to warn them but they could not let go of what they thought the truth was.

At one time I held tightly to numerous lies about God and the Christian life. Let me share a few ~
God's love is dependent on what I do.
God tolerates me more than loves me.
I am saved by grace but must work at staying in His favor.
Conformity to church standards means conformity to God.
Other people can properly define my Christian life for me.

The list could go on and on but my point is this....true freedom in Christ began with letting go of what I THOUGHT was the truth and allowing God to show me what He was really like. He is now my refuge and I am concealed in His hands.

Sometimes the journey gets difficult but not as difficult as it was when I depended on others to tell me what to believe, how to act, what music to listen to, who to fellowship with, what version of the Bible to read, etc..... Now I place my hand in His on a daily basis and together we walk in truth!

Father, You waited decades for me to join You. Thank you for not giving up on me even now. Amen.

Where to Turn

Behold, such is our hope, where we fled for help to be delivered. Isaiah 20:6

Ever turned to someone for help only to find them unable or unwilling to assist you? The truth of the matter is that we live in a world that can leave us feeling abandoned, rejected, and alone. Where we look for warmth we might find a chilly reception. Where we might hope for acceptance we are greeted with rejection. Where we hope to feast we walk away hungry. What we hoped in and sought help from just didn't come through for us. God has a better plan.

Throughout the Psalms, David refers to God as his Hope and Deliverer. Why? Because God never changes and can always be counted on. He knows each of our stories from beginning to end. He is always interested in what we say and never turns a deaf ear to our cries for help.
I am learning to take my concerns and needs to God. It was a big turning point in my life when I realized He could and would meet every need I had. What freedom comes when I finally say, "God, here is what I need" and I allow Him to choose how He will meet that need. It may be the need for encouragement. God has a vast array of options. He may encourage me directly or He may use a person, a book, a song, a thought, a circumstance, or a fresh awareness. Throughout my day as something encouraging makes its way into my life I can then see God's involvement and personal touch.

So today let God know what your needs are. Give Him the freedom to meet your needs in His own way. After all, He knows you better than anyone. THEN watch to see what He does!

Father, so often I run to my own sources and options. May I learn to come to You first each time. It is then that I know I won't be disappointed. Amen.

His Inheritance

Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance. Isaiah 19:25

His people! The work of His hands! His inheritance! I love when the picture just keeps getting better and better! As His inheritance we are His possession of high value. Think of the people you value the most. The delight they bring to you. The joy you derive from spending time with them. What they mean to you. Just the thought of them brings a smile to your face. Future visits are anticipated with enthusiasm.

God's fondness of us is no different. The Bible reminds me that He watches us, thinks about us, delights in us, and even rejoices over us. That means a lot to me. I can think of nothing that brings me more pleasure than to realize someone who means the world to me also likes me as a friend. There are many people in this world who will never know of me let alone like me as a friend. But the God of the universe does!

To Him I am not one of many, a small part of a vast crowd, a nameless, faceless person. He knows me personally. He not only knows the number of hairs on my head but also knows the intents of my heart, the desires of my soul, every failure and every accomplishment, each tear and the reason it fell. He knows my moments of laughter as well as my moments of loneliness. He knows the words while they are still in my head as well as when they are spoken. He knows what hurts me and what heals me.

May I learn to see my life through His eyes. What I see, touch, hear, and feel may not always be truthful. That is why I need to know Scripture and my Father's heart well enough to counter lies with the truth. So today I can remind myself that I am part of His family, a work of His hands, and a highly valued inheritance of His.

Father, thank you for the worth, value, and significance You grant me. I come to You often for the reminders and You never fail to give me what I need. Amen.

His People

Blessed is Egypt My people. Isaiah 19:25

God does not see us as we often see ourselves. To Him we are precious. Isaiah says we are His people. Ever wanted to be part of a special group, join an elite club, or be the member of a certain family? Sometimes those cravings are due to feelings of insignificance in our own lives. We somehow think if we could just be part of a certain group it would somehow give us importance. But if we take an honest look we will see that even in the best of settings people still walk empty.

Significance must be a heart thing. It comes from knowing Jesus intimately and allowing Him to show us our worth and value. Outward sources are like garments we wear. They do nothing for our internal world. Blood transfusions and organ transplants are another story all together. God wants to transform us daily. He wants us to know that as His child we are all equally loved, cared for, and delighted in by a loving Heavenly Father.

With Him, we finally belong. We are the apple of His eye and able to bring Him pleasure.
Until we learn the truth about God and His genuine love for us we walk as unwanted orphans. We cannot afford to wait for people to come along and infuse us with this truth. God waits with anticipation for us to turn our faces and our hearts toward Him. He longs to give us what we actually crave.

Father, Your willingness to give so much astounds me. I want to receive all You have to give. Show me where my hands are still closed and clenched. Amen.

God's Way to Rule

A throne will even be established in lovingkindness, and a judge will sit on it in faithfulness in the tent of David; moreover, He will seek justice and be prompt in righteousness. Isaiah 16:5

When Saddam Hussein was brought down and his numerous atrocities were brought out into the open, we saw the result of a kingdom ruled by greed, harshness, abuse, hatred, and evil. The heart of kings definitely affects his leadership as well as the lives of the ones he rules. In the spirit world, Satan is himself that kind of leader. He is void of compassion, mercy, grace, and love. He is the exact opposite of God and his ways are diametrically opposed to God's ways.

Look at one's character and you will quickly see what their leadership is built on. God is righteous so He establishes His kingdom on righteousness. He is also just and makes justice a part of His rule. He epitomizes love, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion. These are His principles whereby He rules.

The recipients of such extravagance experience a joy in His kingdom. They see the benefits of His rule and walk in freedom. Although they will experience pain and injustices in this world they never have to fear those will be brought on by their King.

Father, life can be cruel and people can be hateful, but You are the One I can trust to never treat me thus. Amen.