A FEW THOUGHTS ON TODAYS READING...
We see obedience exemplified in Jesus, who read the words in Isiah 61:1-2 when in the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:18-19), "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,...". Jesus was given a three year ministry to accomplish the task at hand which would culminate in a humiliating and painful death, but He obediently and gladly did it for the joy of bringing us salvation. We read in Isaiah 62:9-10, "But those who have gathered it shall eat it, And praise the Lord; Those who have brought it together shall drink it in My holy courts." Go through, Go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; Build up, Build up the highway! Take out the stones, Lift up a banner for the peoples!" Though God time and time again brought salvation to His people and continues to so, where was their obedience and where is ours? We go on to read in 64:7-8, "And there is no one who calls on Your name, Who stirs himself up to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us, And have consumed us because of our iniquities. But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand."
Clay is molded in the hands of the potter. It offers no resistance to Him, but obediently allows itself to be molded according to His will and by His superior wisdom. But we are often hardened clay, rendered useless in His hands. We are commanded to do many things by our Father: pray, share the gospel message, go to church, read His Word, serve others, give generously, etc. These are not suggestions by our Father, but commands which we are to obey if we are to enjoy the life of faith. How often do we in our worldly comforts raise objections to God, our Commander-in-Chief. Some of the objections: "Why bother going to church, my son has a baseball game, and I don't get anything out of it anyway?" Why bother sharing the gospel, they will never listen to me anyway?" "Why bother praying, I don't ever seem to get my prayers answered?" "Why bother reading the Bible, I really don't understand it anyway?" "Why bother giving, who knows what they will do with my money?" Not only are these questions all wrong, because they are asked disobediently, but they all miss the power behind the One issuing the commands. He doesn't make us do these things because He wants to make our lives difficult. He commands these things because He knows better than us, how to bless our lives. He will never override our free will. Love is a choice. When we choose to love our Father, we should want to obey One so much wiser and greater than ourselves. We read in James 4:3,8,10, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures...Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded...Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." Before we were saved, aren't we glad that someone chose to be obedient to God's calling to bring His message of salvation to us? May we stop all of our excuses and experience the Spirit filled life offered by God, if we would only obey.
THIS WEEKS MEMORY VERSE
'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways' ~Isaiah 55:8-9

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
A foolish physician he is, and a most unfaithful friend, that will let a sick man die for fear of troubling him; and cruel wretches are we to our friends, that will rather suffer them to go quietly to hell, then we will anger them, or hazard our reputation with them.
— Richard Baxter (1615-1691)








"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
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