July 31st, 21

Have you ever felt like you don't belong to the Lord? Have you ever questioned whether God is really involved in your life? Have you ever wondered if God loves you, whether he really sees you and knows what you're going through? Those are not thoughts that are unique to you. God's people throughout time have wondered these very same thoughts. Isaiah 63:19 says, sometimes it seems as though we never belong to you, as though we have never been known as your people. The people in Isaiah's day knew the stories of God's miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egypt, how he provided them with the dry path of rescue along the bottom of the sea, how he gave them rest from their enemies and a land of abundance. Yet, even though they knew the stories of his faithful love, they were struggling to see God in their own circumstances. David after reciting many of the same examples, in Psalm 107, ends with this statement, those who are wise will take all this to heart, they will see in our history, the faithful love of the Lord. Isaiah and David through the pages of the Bible are challenging us to look at our own life. And at the history of God's people, with eyes of wisdom and faith. They're calling our attention to these themes; One of them is forgetfulness, distrust, rebellion, we forget the call of God, we go our own way. And we find ourselves in circumstances that we are powerless to change. But they don't leave us there. They point to this other theme, a greater, more hopeful and triumphant theme of God's faithful love. This love never ceases. It never gives up. The call of David and the prophets in all of Scripture is for us to remember ourselves into the story of God. The story we've been placed into by him, the story of God's forever faithful love for us. This is the truest thing. And this is the final thing. The faithful love of the Lord never ceases. Isaiah 63:9 says in all our suffering, he also suffers. And he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy, he redeemed them, he lifted them up and carried them through all the years. He's with us, even when it doesn't seem like it. Even when we don't feel like we're his people. That is who we are. Even when we feel abandoned, alone, discarded. He's there in all our suffering. He also suffered. And he rescues us. And the prayer of my own heart today is that I will see that I'll let that settle deep down into my soul. That I'll let the good news of God's presence with me. God's presence with everyone, give me joy. Give me hope. And give me peace. That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so

You are loved!