Devotion – Saturday, 20 February
Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for today is taken from the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 63 verse 9, “In his love and mercy the Lord redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old,” (NIV). In this passage Isaiah is contemplating all the wonders God has done for the Israelites in the desert, bringing them to the Promised Land and saving, carrying and protecting them. Isaiah mourns the state of Israel and her people and confesses that it seems as if the chosen children of God have forgotten their Lord. Isaiah laments and asks God in verse 17, “O Lord, why have You made us able to err from Your ways and hardened our hearts in referential fear of You?” God has created humans with the unique ability to make choices. This ability can be used to consider and make a decision regarding how one will conduct oneself and how one will to submit to the laws of God. Isaiah marvels that God has entrusted this great gift to people, for it gives them the opportunity to choose either for, or against God and his commandments. This is the freedom that God gives his creatures, either to voluntarily and in love come to him, or reject him. Regardless of people’s choices, God does not change. God loves people and has given his gift of salvation through his Son, “While we were still sinners,” (Romans 5 verse 8). God waits for people to turn from their ways by creating opportunities for them to turn and change and ultimately He comes and finds them. In Chapter 64 verse 1, Isaiah proclaims, “Oh, that You would rend the heavens and that You would come down, that the mountains might quake and flow down at Your presence,” (Amplified Bible). God did indeed rend heaven and the earth quaked when Jesus died and darkness came over the earth, and blood and water flowed from his spear-pierced side for us, (John 19 verse 35). God, our loving Father, is never far-off and saves his erring children in their journey through life and death, and raises us blameless.
Jesus told the people listening to him parables that they could relate to. He said that those who have a flock of sheep, and one of the sheep is lost, will search for it till it is found. The shepherd won’t punish and scold the sheep for straying but, “When he has found the lost sheep, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices,” Luke 15 verse 5, (NRSVB).
This is how God has treated and will treat his creatures, from the first creation, through to the future creation of the New Earth and New Heavens. He searches for us, and finds us there on the rocky cliff, where we don’t know which way to turn, or out on the limb where we have fallen and injured ourselves. He calls us by our names for we are his, (Isaiah 43 verse 1). Sheep have less discerning ability than humans and find themselves easily scattered and lost when they venture out on their own; they are therefore always in need of a shepherd to look out for them. Despite our knowledge and wisdom, culture and traditions, scientific and technological prowess, our ability to foresee all the ramifications of our actions and the trajectory of our plans are still not efficient to save ourselves from death and destruction. The only One who can save us is our Lord. He has saved the world that He loves so much from spiritual death and final condemnation through his work on the Cross for us. Let us magnify the salvation plan for the world through Christ, Jesus, who has been given as the perfect Lamb. He who took away the sin of the world! God has redeemed us and He lifts us up and carries us, as we walk the road of daily life towards the green pastures and the Psalm 23 banquet.
Dear Father God, we thank you that you have been our shepherd from ages to all ages. Thank you that you come and find us there where we have become entangled in the snares of life. You bring us out of the miry clay and the thorny cliffs to safety, Amen.
