RE Verse reading–Isaiah 10:5-27, 11:1-10 (day four) “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse” (11:1) It is a characteristic strength of Isaiah’s life. In moments of despair he saw the Lord and found hope. In happened in Isaiah 6 (last week’s Re verse reading). It happens again in Isaiah 11. In chapter 6, Isaiah sees God the Father, God on the throne of Heaven. In chapter 11, he sees God the Son, coming at some point in the future. Isaiah calls Him ” a shoot out of a stump”–a beautiful word picture of Christ’s life rising up out of the spiritual deadness of Israel. In Hebrews 12, the Bible tells us that we are to ” run with perseverance the race set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus” (12:1-2) Friends, do you see the Lord today? When, like Peter, we can look through the waves and see the Lord, the pressures and their powers fade away. May the Lord teach this lesson to every weary heart.
I decided not to go somewhere today. We have probably all been there. Too much pain, too much confusion, too many unanswered questions. Today they just seemed to overwhelm me (migraine that started tonight probably had something to do with it). Then the Lord spoke to my spirit and asked me how did I expect to learn to keep my eyes on Him even in the storm if I was never in storms? Good question…. so I went.
The Lord has really been teaching me lately in an experiential way that it is in fact possible to “rise above” our circumstances… to focus intentionally on Him/His Kingdom and from that position to realize I can “walk above” the waves that are tossing my soul around. From that perspective they lose their power and can be dealt with. Amazing lesson from an amazingly Good…. very much ALIVE… God!