Lent, Day 29: LISTENING

Scripture:   Isaiah 43:8-13

Focus on the Word

In a world of a myriad of religions and philosophies and beliefs and creeds and convictions and faiths, God raises up a people to be His witnesses.  Upon this sea of conflict and disagreement and difference, in His people God takes His stand.  Bring on religions and creeds and dogmas and doctrines and worldviews.  Stack them up, long and deep, and compare what they are about to what God is about.  God can take the heat.

We believe our God when He says, Before Me there is no God formed, and there will be none after Me" (Isaiah 43:10, NASB).  Religions say what they need to say, and that's okay; we do the same thing.  What we say is that there is only one God.  God says of Himself, "I, even I, am the Lord, and there is no savior besides Me" (Isaiah 43:11, NASB).  Others have unique things they say about their faith, and that's okay; we do the same thing.  We say God is holy and just, that He is a God who doesn't demand His pound of flesh but that He is a saving and redeeming God.  God says of Himself, "I am God. Even from eternity I am He, and there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse" (Isaiah 43:12-13, NASB).

In Lent we lay everything on the altar again, and we listen to the One voice that has never let us down, never been unfaithful to His Word, has always been redemptive, and who "emptied Himself of all but love and bled for Adam's helpless race" (Charles Wesley, 1738).   Before God we humble ourselves, put everything on His altar, and we listen and pray and remember who our God is.  We reflect and ponder and remember to whom we belong.  

We worship.

Today’s Prayer

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.   (From Psalm 63:1-8, NIV)