July 26th, 21

RETURNING TO THE RUINS

Today’s readings are Isaiah 46-49 and I Peter 5.  We are reading from the New Living Translation.

Return to the ruins.  Sometimes God calls you back to the ruins but don’t let the ruins fool you.  God has not forgotten you.  Out of the ruins He is raising up something new and you don’t want to miss it.  Don’t miss it by running, or despairing at the destruction you see. God is bringing you back to do something new -to reveal his grace to you, and to reveal himself to you.  This was Isaiah’s message. They were exiled but they were not forgotten.  Like a note that He can’t afford to lose, Isaiah tells us that God has written your name on the palm of his hand.  Isaiah 49:16 says See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.  Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.

God has not forgotten your name among the ruins.  He has your name in mind, because he is about to doing something new.  Peter tells us:

My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace. (I Pt 5:12 NLT)

God may be returning you to the ruins.  Don’t despair at the destruction you see.  God’s about to reveal something new – His grace – Himself.  Your name is written on the palm of his hand and what he says is sure to happen.  You don’t want to miss it.

Return to whatever ruins God may be calling you to.  Don’t despair at the destruction but be assured and encouraged that your name is written on the palm of his hand and you can stand firm, right there, among the ruins.  Stand firm because this is his grace for you.  He’s about to do something new in you.  He has not forgotten.  He sees exactly where you are.  Your name is written on his hand, no matter the circumstances.

You are loved!