Read Isaiah Chapter 50
People love to blame Go for the bad stuff in the world and in their lives. Some enjoy being the victim. Some enjoy being the strong person who solves all the problems and when he can’t he curses God for causing them. I’ve seen people hate God. But the thing is God didn’t say I am going to make her an alcoholic, or give him cancer. The bad stuff of the world is a result of sin. God is still God and He can and does deliver people from it. (Verses 1-3). If you are His, you will still undoubtedly suffer, but God carries you through it, you understand the good that can come out of it. And you are not alone. You have the Father. You have The Holy Spirit. You have Jesus. You have your brothers and sisters.
Instead of rolling over and suffering, we have been given gifts to go through this world. Jesus didn’t trudge through the world in self-pity. He didn’t focus on His poverty, homelessness, being hated, or His impending death. He loved people. He met their needs. We too can do that. Verses 4-5 read,
“The Lord God has given me
the tongue of those who are taught,
that I may know how to sustain with a word
him who is weary.
Morning by morning he awakens;
he awakens my ear
to hear as those who are taught.
5 The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious;
I turned not backward.”
You have the ability, the teaching, and the Spirit to speak hope into people’s lives. He lifts you up and inspires you to persevere. You can encourage and give someone the motivation to keep going. Every day you can speak to God and more importantly listen to Him. He speaks to you, teaches you, and leads you. You can choose to listen and obey or you can choose to turn your back on Him. You can choose to allow Him to deliver you and guide you or you can choose to suffer in ignorance and oppression. You can choose to guide others out of oppression as well.
Jesus was hated and beaten and crucified. Paul was beaten and eventually beheaded. Stephen was stoned to death. All the apostles except John were martyred. Christians are hated, beaten, and murdered every day. We are pretty lucky, in America and England we might be hated, spit at, and called names but rarely do we face imprisonment, torture, or death for proclaiming Jesus Christ. But whatever we face, we do not face it alone. Jesus, Paul, Stephen, Peter, and countless others faced it before us. Jesus is with us. Our fellow Believers are with us. The Holy Spirit is with us. He strengthens us. Verses 6-9 read,
“I gave my back to those who strike,
and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;
I hid not my face
from disgrace and spitting.
7 But the Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
8 He who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who is my adversary?
Let him come near to me.
9 Behold, the Lord God helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;
the moth will eat them up.”
The way we handle the suffering of life sets us apart from the world. When you let God be your light in the darkness it shines a light on Jesus. Depending on yourself, lighting your own fire in the darkness glorifies us and turns people away from God. Our obedience and grace through dependence on God glorifies Him. Our curses and tantrums lead to more trouble and more hate. You can blame God or you can lean on Him. (Verses 10-11).
Go ahead and let Him be God. Rest on Him. He holds you up. He comforts you. He sustains you and in doing so He leads more to know His profound and fathomless love.
People love to blame Go for the bad stuff in the world and in their lives. Some enjoy being the victim. Some enjoy being the strong person who solves all the problems and when he can’t he curses God for causing them. I’ve seen people hate God. But the thing is God didn’t say I am going to make her an alcoholic, or give him cancer. The bad stuff of the world is a result of sin. God is still God and He can and does deliver people from it. (Verses 1-3). If you are His, you will still undoubtedly suffer, but God carries you through it, you understand the good that can come out of it. And you are not alone. You have the Father. You have The Holy Spirit. You have Jesus. You have your brothers and sisters.
Instead of rolling over and suffering, we have been given gifts to go through this world. Jesus didn’t trudge through the world in self-pity. He didn’t focus on His poverty, homelessness, being hated, or His impending death. He loved people. He met their needs. We too can do that. Verses 4-5 read,
“The Lord God has given me
the tongue of those who are taught,
that I may know how to sustain with a word
him who is weary.
Morning by morning he awakens;
he awakens my ear
to hear as those who are taught.
5 The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious;
I turned not backward.”
You have the ability, the teaching, and the Spirit to speak hope into people’s lives. He lifts you up and inspires you to persevere. You can encourage and give someone the motivation to keep going. Every day you can speak to God and more importantly listen to Him. He speaks to you, teaches you, and leads you. You can choose to listen and obey or you can choose to turn your back on Him. You can choose to allow Him to deliver you and guide you or you can choose to suffer in ignorance and oppression. You can choose to guide others out of oppression as well.
Jesus was hated and beaten and crucified. Paul was beaten and eventually beheaded. Stephen was stoned to death. All the apostles except John were martyred. Christians are hated, beaten, and murdered every day. We are pretty lucky, in America and England we might be hated, spit at, and called names but rarely do we face imprisonment, torture, or death for proclaiming Jesus Christ. But whatever we face, we do not face it alone. Jesus, Paul, Stephen, Peter, and countless others faced it before us. Jesus is with us. Our fellow Believers are with us. The Holy Spirit is with us. He strengthens us. Verses 6-9 read,
“I gave my back to those who strike,
and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;
I hid not my face
from disgrace and spitting.
7 But the Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
8 He who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who is my adversary?
Let him come near to me.
9 Behold, the Lord God helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;
the moth will eat them up.”
The way we handle the suffering of life sets us apart from the world. When you let God be your light in the darkness it shines a light on Jesus. Depending on yourself, lighting your own fire in the darkness glorifies us and turns people away from God. Our obedience and grace through dependence on God glorifies Him. Our curses and tantrums lead to more trouble and more hate. You can blame God or you can lean on Him. (Verses 10-11).
Go ahead and let Him be God. Rest on Him. He holds you up. He comforts you. He sustains you and in doing so He leads more to know His profound and fathomless love.
RSS Feed
