Reading: Isaiah 65
In today’s reading I can hear the sorrow in some ways in the Lord’s voice. Here His chosen people continue to rebel and turn away from Him, as they seem to do all throughout the Old Testament. Time and time again, His people turn from Him and then in times of trials, usually after spending years in captivity, they would cry out to the Lord and He would rescue them. In this chapter God is speaking of what is to come. He knew the hearts of His people. He also knew the hearts of the Gentiles, that would come to know Him.
“I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ To a nation that was not called by My name. I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own throughs; A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face.” Isaiah 65:1-3
When you read these words, you know that the rebellion was not God’s plan for His chosen people. He had good plans for His people, but they had to follow Him and His path, not their own thoughts and desires. God’s plans for us are great and better than our own thoughts. His desire for us is to prosper us and for us to be in good health. (3 John 1:2)
When we fall away from Him and turn our backs from Him, we take our self into the world’s concerns and the world’s way of doing things. Deuteronomy 28:15-68 list all the curses that can come from not heeding the voice of the LORD. I for one do not want to fall into that list. I’m grateful that we, that are called can know Him and be in relationship with Him. This is such a great time to live in.
Later God states to those in rebellion:
“Behold, My servants shall eat,
But you shall be hungry;
Behold, My servants shall drink,
But you shall be thirsty;
Behold My servants shall rejoice,
But you shall be ashamed;
Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart,
But you shall cry for sorrow of heart,
And wail for grief of spirit.”
Isaiah 65:13-14
Jesus was rejected by His own and that is why they grieve. They did not realize what they had in front of them when He was sent to be crucified for the sins of ALL. For those of us that have asked Jesus into our hearts we still have a choice in our daily walk to decide if we will follow God’s spirit inside us or the desires of our flesh. Even though we have a better covenant than the Israelites, because of our faith in Jesus, we still have to daily decide how to live. As much as God wanted to take care of Israel and they rebelled; God wants to take care of us and we too must choose who we will serve. When we serve God, blessing will follow us, all the days of our life.
We are loved and cherished by the one who made us, but we must choose daily to walk with Him. Praise God we are given that choice. Praise God too that when or if we go astray, He will forgive us and put us back on the path He has for us. Wherever you are today, make a choice to follow Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:6) Following Him will lead to blessing. He is for you and He loves you. Choose Him today.