Read Isaiah Chapter 45
The chapter talks about Cyrus. Cyrus was the king of Babylon, the country that had taken Israel into long captivity. But God had chosen Cyrus to be His instrument. Cyrus was going to be the king who delivered Israel to freedom and end their imprisonment. He was a Mede, not an Israelite. He was the king of Persia not of Israel. Yet it was this man who was chosen by The LORD to deliver Israel. It was this man whom God equipped and gifted to do redeem His people.
God is Almighty and sovereign. He can do anything. He often does things for us in ways we would never expect. He used the king of a nation who had kept His children captive for 70 years to be the rescuer. Verses 4-7 describe God choosing Cyrus.
“For the sake of my servant Jacob,
and Israel my chosen,
I call you by your name,
I name you, though you do not know me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God;
I equip you, though you do not know me,
6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is none besides me;
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
7 I form light and create darkness,
I make well-being and create calamity,
I am the Lord, who does all these things.”
God’s plans are perfect. His ways are perfect. We do not make the plans and tell the Lord how to do it. (He knows we try) God says, “Trust Me” and then does what needs to be done in His way. God doesn’t give us a job to do and leave us to it alone. He calls us and gives us everything we need to get it done, and He goes ahead of us and does it.
When I go out on the street and share the gospel with someone. It isn’t me. It is God. He prepared me, He gave me gifts. He set the appointment for me to meet this person or that. He speaks through me. He softens the heart. He does the miracle. He saves. All I have to do is trust. And even if I didn’t God could use anyone even a person who doesn’t know Him. He is God. He doesn’t need a single person to do anything for Him, but He chooses to let us partner with Him. Verse 8 reads,
“Shower, O heavens, from above,
and let the clouds rain down righteousness;
let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit;
let the earth cause them both to sprout;
I the Lord have created it.”
It is a privilege to be used by the Lord. He allows you to serve Him. How wonderful it is to serve Him. How amazing to be a witness to His awesome goodness.
Do you question His ways sometimes? Do you question that you can do the job He gave you? Do you question that you are able? Maybe you think you’re too ugly, introverted, clumsy, or otherwise flawed to do God’s will. God made you, and He made you wonderfully. He is the one who created you and He is the one who chose you. Where is the logic in doubting Him then? Don’t tell God that what He has made isn’t good enough. Verse 9 reads,
“Woe to him who strives with him who formed him,
a pot among earthen pots!
Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’
or ‘Your work has no handles’?”
Don’t you get it? When you doubt you can do what God has appointed you to do, you doubt God. You are saying that the Lord who created the entire universe can’t accomplish what He said He would. He created the universe for a purpose. He created you for a purpose. He wants a relationship with you and He wants a relationship with the guy down the street. In your relationship with Him, as you adore Him and revel in His love, He will be glorified in you. He will show in you and people will come. Let God be God to you. Trust Him, Adore Him, Love Him and see what will happen.
Verses 18-19 read,
“For thus says the Lord,
who created the heavens
(he is God!),
who formed the earth and made it
(he established it;
he did not create it empty,
he formed it to be inhabited!):
“I am the Lord, and there is no other.
19 I did not speak in secret,
in a land of darkness;
I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,
‘Seek me in vain.’
I the Lord speak the truth;
I declare what is right.”
The chapter talks about Cyrus. Cyrus was the king of Babylon, the country that had taken Israel into long captivity. But God had chosen Cyrus to be His instrument. Cyrus was going to be the king who delivered Israel to freedom and end their imprisonment. He was a Mede, not an Israelite. He was the king of Persia not of Israel. Yet it was this man who was chosen by The LORD to deliver Israel. It was this man whom God equipped and gifted to do redeem His people.
God is Almighty and sovereign. He can do anything. He often does things for us in ways we would never expect. He used the king of a nation who had kept His children captive for 70 years to be the rescuer. Verses 4-7 describe God choosing Cyrus.
“For the sake of my servant Jacob,
and Israel my chosen,
I call you by your name,
I name you, though you do not know me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God;
I equip you, though you do not know me,
6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is none besides me;
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
7 I form light and create darkness,
I make well-being and create calamity,
I am the Lord, who does all these things.”
God’s plans are perfect. His ways are perfect. We do not make the plans and tell the Lord how to do it. (He knows we try) God says, “Trust Me” and then does what needs to be done in His way. God doesn’t give us a job to do and leave us to it alone. He calls us and gives us everything we need to get it done, and He goes ahead of us and does it.
When I go out on the street and share the gospel with someone. It isn’t me. It is God. He prepared me, He gave me gifts. He set the appointment for me to meet this person or that. He speaks through me. He softens the heart. He does the miracle. He saves. All I have to do is trust. And even if I didn’t God could use anyone even a person who doesn’t know Him. He is God. He doesn’t need a single person to do anything for Him, but He chooses to let us partner with Him. Verse 8 reads,
“Shower, O heavens, from above,
and let the clouds rain down righteousness;
let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit;
let the earth cause them both to sprout;
I the Lord have created it.”
It is a privilege to be used by the Lord. He allows you to serve Him. How wonderful it is to serve Him. How amazing to be a witness to His awesome goodness.
Do you question His ways sometimes? Do you question that you can do the job He gave you? Do you question that you are able? Maybe you think you’re too ugly, introverted, clumsy, or otherwise flawed to do God’s will. God made you, and He made you wonderfully. He is the one who created you and He is the one who chose you. Where is the logic in doubting Him then? Don’t tell God that what He has made isn’t good enough. Verse 9 reads,
“Woe to him who strives with him who formed him,
a pot among earthen pots!
Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’
or ‘Your work has no handles’?”
Don’t you get it? When you doubt you can do what God has appointed you to do, you doubt God. You are saying that the Lord who created the entire universe can’t accomplish what He said He would. He created the universe for a purpose. He created you for a purpose. He wants a relationship with you and He wants a relationship with the guy down the street. In your relationship with Him, as you adore Him and revel in His love, He will be glorified in you. He will show in you and people will come. Let God be God to you. Trust Him, Adore Him, Love Him and see what will happen.
Verses 18-19 read,
“For thus says the Lord,
who created the heavens
(he is God!),
who formed the earth and made it
(he established it;
he did not create it empty,
he formed it to be inhabited!):
“I am the Lord, and there is no other.
19 I did not speak in secret,
in a land of darkness;
I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,
‘Seek me in vain.’
I the Lord speak the truth;
I declare what is right.”
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