Coffee With The Lord

“God’s chosen people!” Ha!! It seemed like everything and everyone was against them!! It was laughable that they were “chosen” in the eyes of the broader culture!! First Assyria abused them, then Babylon defeated them, destroying their proud city and dismantling their temple – finally leading them off into captivity, exile and slavery!!

Ever feel like the words “chosen” or “elected” have a hollow ring to them somehow? One failure after another, mistakes galore, problems, difficulties, rejected and even ignored by others… your spiritual and personal self-concept completely dismantled?

I read these wonderful words today originally spoken by God’s prophet Isaiah to the people of Israel (but let them speak to you personally and let them also perhaps be God’s word to the group of God’s people you are a part of)…

“The LORD called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name… He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, and you will bring me glory.” I replied, “But my work seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose. Yet I leave it all in the LORD’s hand; I will trust God for my reward.” And now the LORD speaks— the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him… He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 49.1-6 NLT)

The Lord has a purpose for you! He has a mission for your church!  Regardless of how you feel right now, He can and will fulfill it!  Try this one on for size in the New Testament (and observe is was spoken first and foremost to a church, but is more often than not applied to us personally)… “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in [or “among”] you will bring it completion at the day of Jesus Christ!” (Philippians 1:7)  Hey, more is being accomplished than you imagine!! Take heart!!

Sometimes God bring “salvation” (deliverance from danger, disease, and distress) this way… “Moses said to the people, ‘fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord which he will work for you today… The Lord will fight for you and you have only to be silent.’” (from Exodus 14:13-14)  At other times, however he requires us to do something – to take some action – as an act of obedient faith.  In either case He is a powerful, wonderful “Savior!”

Seek His will… trust Him… He will let you know which course of action is appropriate and that He wants you to take.  Miraculous things happen either way!!

I’m getting older… Sometimes, as time passes we forget things that are important and we need reminders to help us.  I wish we’d never forget important things, but sometimes we do.  Where did we put that item?  What did that person tell us?  What was their name?  What was that telephone number?  How did I do that?  When did that happen? …

You’ve had a few “forgets” too, I can see! 😉  What’s frustrating is they tell me it gets worse as you as you get older! 😉

Thought about all of that as I read these words from the Bible this morning during “coffee with the Lord”…

“Listen to me! … Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He!  I am He who will sustain you!  I have made you and I will carry you!  I will sustain you and I will rescue you! … Remember this! Keep it in mind!  Take it to heart! … I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.  I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.  I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please… What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do!’” (from Isaiah 46)

God said that!  I can’t afford to forget it!  (And most of all, I’m very grateful for the reminder in the Bible!!)  Don’t let me forget this Lord!!