SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 44
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
I am the Lord, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself, … who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense, who carries out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘It shall be inhabited,’ of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be built,’ and of their ruins, ‘I will restore them’. [Isaiah 44:24-26]
Isaiah is comparing the power and authority of the Lord with the idols and their builders and believers, and there really is no comparison!
The Lord is in charge of the universe, and His power is beyond our comprehension.
He only has to express a thought and it happens; what He wills, happens!
This kind of power in a human would be terrible, for such absolute power coupled with our selfish sinful nature would produce a tyrant or dictator of horrifying dimensions.
Thankfully God is not only great, He is good!
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. [Isaiah 44:3]
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. [Isaiah 44:22]
The Lord created us for blessing, and though we have twisted this world into a curse, the Lord is working to restore us to the blessed life He created us for.
Forgiveness from the guilt of sin, freedom from the power of sin, filled with His Spirit.
Jesus is the final embodiment of this good purpose, He comes with both the power and authority to make it so.
Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” And the man got up and went home. [Matthew 9:5-7]
Our world desperately needs help… we desperately need help.
Yet nothing we build or propose can resolve the curse; all of our schemes and inventions are but man-made idols, they cannot deal with our deepest problem and our deepest need – our need for forgiveness and freedom.
We are like the idol-builders in this chapter, thinking that we can find a way to make things better in this world.
And yet what limited power and authority we do have, we use for selfish, destructive purposes.
Despite amazing advances in technology and science, despite but the best laid plans for democracy and peace, despite ‘foolproof’ economic policies and United Nations declarations, our world remains under a curse.
We need God’s help, our ‘idols’ cannot overcome the curse of sin.
He has the authority to forgive us, and the power to set us free.
He is great, and He is good, we can trust Him!
This is what the Lord says– he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, my servant whom I have chosen! [Isaiah 44:2]
PRAYER:
Lord, as I face my own experience of the curse of sin today, help me to rely on You and not on my own abilities or schemes or inventions. You made me, You have chosen me, You will help me!