relationships (Isaiah 64:1-12) Always Maturing

(Isaiah 64:1-12)

1   Oh, that You would tear open the heavens and come down,
     That the mountains would quake at Your presence—
2   As fire kindles brushwood, as fire causes water to boil—
     To make Your name known to Your adversaries,
     That the nations may tremble at Your presence!
3   When You did awesome things which we did not expect,
     You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence.
4   For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear,
     Nor has the eye seen a God besides You,
     Who acts in behalf of one who waits for Him.
5   You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness,
      Who remembers You in Your ways.
      Behold, You were angry, for we sinned,
     We continued in our sins for a long time;
     Yet shall we be saved?
6   For all of us have become like one who is unclean,
     And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;
     And all of us wither like a leaf,
     And our wrongdoings, like the wind, take us away.
7   There is no one who calls on Your name,
     Who stirs himself to take hold of You;
     For You have hidden Your face from us 
     And have surrendered us to the power of our wrongdoings.

8   But now, Lord, You are our Father;
     We are the clay, and You our potter,
     And all of us are the work of Your hand.
9   Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord,
     Nor remember wrongdoing forever.
     Behold, please look, all of us are Your people.
10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness,
     Zion has become a wilderness,
     Jerusalem a desolation.
11 Our holy and beautiful house,
     Where our fathers praised You,
     Has been burned by fire;
     And all our precious things have become a ruin.
12 Will You restrain Yourself at these things, Lord?
     Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

It benefits our lives when we try to be like the Lord, using Him as our perfect example, to be a better son, daughter, student, employee, friend, spouse, and parent...  But before we can try to be like Him, we need to know Him, and then, know that we need His help.  God is always reaching down and reaching out to us, we just have to open our eyes to see that.  Even after we become a child of God, He reminds us to keep looking to Him for His strength and help.  As our loving, caring heavenly Father, His hand is always reaching out to us, we just have to strive in a continuous effort to stay close to Him.

While "striving" may sound like so much work - it is much easier than we imagine.  In our humanness, we will be impatient and have questions and doubts, but God is faithful, He has all the right answers, and His timing is perfect.  It helps to remember the works that He has accomplished in the past.  It also helps to know that as we wait for God, He works on our behalf!  While we might become complacent and forget about Him, the Lord never forgets about us.

As we continue to go to the Lord in all circumstances, He shapes us and matures us in His righteousness, and gives us His strength and wisdom!  He created us, after all, and therefore knows what is best for us.  He actually knows us better than we know ourselves!  Even in those areas where we struggle, those things that we think are so well buried and hidden... the Lord wants to help us!  

Now, there are a few key points here that might not be so obvious, which would help us mature and be a better son, daughter, student, employee, friend, spouse, and parent...  In verse 9, the people ask God to not get angry at them beyond measure.  Well, that's such a human response, because we know that our own anger can get out of control.  We must know that the Lord is always fair and just!  Therefore, not only can we rest easy, but we can go to Him for help in this area.  Self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit, and we are to do all things in God's love, to His glory.

As well, as we can see in verse 7, when we sin, God does allow us to go through consequences.  As a parent, we must allow our children to experience consequences - safely, and in age-appropriate ways - so that they will slowly learn to self-analyze, to realize what is right and wrong, to admit their wrong doings, and to lean on God to help them do what is right.  Otherwise, we are actually hurting them if we make everything perfect and comfortable for them.  

Children (and everyone) must learn from their mistakes, as well as as learn how to navigate through difficult times.  And so, parents should be there alongside them, teaching and guiding them towards being independently dependent on the Lord, and seeing and trusting in the Lord God as their loving, caring and faithful heavenly Father!  Whether consequences are a result of our actions, or someone else's actions, or natural disasters due to living in a fallen, broken world, the answer is always for us - not to run away - but to run to the Lord!

Therefore, in our striving, as we ask, the Lord does everything for us!  As we allow, He continues to work for us, in us, and through us.  To fully trust the Lord in all things, is to make our relationship with Him our top priority, always.  And it is in this close and amazing relationship that we find continuous maturity, rest, comfort, peace and security.