Saturday 2 Feb 2013

Saturday Reading: Isaiah 48:9-15

Key Verse: Isaiah 48:11
11  For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.

Devotion:
Isaiah was given a remarkable insight into how much God cares for us and how much He upholds His choice of people. This is man whom He created in the beginning. This is the selfish man He created and gave the whole world to. This is us.

We do not think about just how much God has done for us in the past – I know this because we continue on doing some pretty strange things in our lives. God has given us the minds to discern right from wrong. He has taught us through many means and have given us a whole string of righteous people who have taught man time and time again. I am one of the lucky one who gets a chance to be able to spread His word to others and I count myself very privileged to be here. I also know that I still do make mistakes though. God chose Israel to be the chosen race so that we would all see what happens to someone God chooses. Even though we have seen them make bad decisions over and over again we also see how God has been there with them every step of the way and has been willing to forgive them over and over again.

God made that choice to do that so that we could see from the outside in – that is much easier for us to accept than being stuck in there in the middle of it all. I really do feel for the people of Israel as they struggle between their consciences and their history and their leaders. We are able to see this from the outside and make a much easier choice to follow God based on history and on God’s laws and not on laws that we have made up.

God has worked on each one of us from before we were born. He has created the best possible combination of events in our past so that we could get to the point where we are now. As we go forward in our lives we find all manner of things that trip us up along the way, but if we are willing to keep our eyes open we will also see the many wondrous things He has put in our paths so that we will recognise Him as Almighty God alone. God has done this so that we may make the right choice to follow Him. God has given us all we need to make that choice – it is now time for us to make that choice and follow Him on into eternity. Will you hide your secret under a stone or will you share this wonderful news with others today?

Points to Ponder:
How many chances do you get with life?

How many chances has God given you just in this year?