Bible League: Living His Word I drew a picture of you on my hand. You are always before my eyes.When we go through the trials, troubles, and tribulation of life there is always the temptation to think that God has forgotten us. In Isaiah 49:14, for example, the people of Zion are quoted as saying, "The Lord has left me; the Lord has forgotten me." During such times, we tend to think that God is far away from us, that He does not really care for us, and that He has forgotten all about us. Although it may not seem like it at times, the message of Isaiah is that nothing could be further from the truth. In order to illustrate his point, in an earlier verse Isaiah drew an analogy between a mother and her child and God and His people. He quotes God as saying, '"Can a woman forget her baby? Can she forget the child that came from her body? Even if she can forget her children, I cannot forget you" (Isaiah 49:15). God's memory of us, in other words, is even greater than a mother's memory of her children. Psalm 27:10 says, "Even if my mother and father leave me, The LORD will take me in." We are God's children, and He cannot forget us because we are the "apple of His eye" (Zechariah 2:8). In order to press home his point, Isaiah quotes God as saying that "I drew a picture of you on my hand." God, one might say, has a tattoo of us on his hand. The image is meant to convey the idea that God cannot put His hand to anything without being reminded of us. Far from forgetting about us, God cares so much that He tattooed His hand with our pictures. Thus, we are always before the eyes of the Lord. Although God may allow the trials, troubles, and tribulations of life into our lives, we should not draw the conclusion from this that He does not care about us and that He has forgotten about us. Indeed, "The LORD will lead you. He himself is with you. He will not fail you or leave you. Don't worry. Don't be afraid!" (Deuteronomy 31:8). God really cares about us. God has not forgotten us. He has the pictures of us to prove it. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingNehemiah 7, 8 Nehemiah 7 -- Census of Returned Exiles NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Nehemiah 8 -- Ezra Reads the Law, Restores the Feast of Tabernacles NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 3 Acts 3 -- Peter Heals the Lame Beggar, Speaks to Onlookers NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.Insight Jesus described leadership from a new perspective. Instead of using people, we are to serve them. Jesus' mission was to serve others and to give his life away. A real leader has a servant's heart. Servant leaders appreciate others' worth and realize that they're not above any job. Challenge If you see something that needs to be done, don't wait to be asked. Take the initiative and do it like a faithful servant. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Isaiah 54:5 Thy Redeemer.Jesus, the Redeemer, is altogether ours and ours forever. All the offices of Christ are held on our behalf. He is king for us, priest for us, and prophet for us. Whenever we read a new title of the Redeemer, let us appropriate him as ours under that name as much as under any other. The shepherd's staff, the father's rod, the captain's sword, the priest's mitre, the prince's sceptre, the prophet's mantle, all are ours. Jesus hath no dignity which he will not employ for our exaltation, and no prerogative which he will not exercise for our defence. His fulness of Godhead is our unfailing, inexhaustible treasure-house. His manhood also, which he took upon him for us, is ours in all its perfection. To us our gracious Lord communicates the spotless virtue of a stainless character; to us he gives the meritorious efficacy of a devoted life; on us he bestows the reward procured by obedient submission and incessant service. He makes the unsullied garment of his life our covering beauty; the glittering virtues of his character our ornaments and jewels; and the superhuman meekness of his death our boast and glory. He bequeaths us his manger, from which to learn how God came down to man; and his Cross to teach us how man may go up to God. All his thoughts, emotions, actions, utterances, miracles, and intercessions, were for us. He trod the road of sorrow on our behalf, and hath made over to us as his heavenly legacy the full results of all the labors of his life. He is now as much ours as heretofore; and he blushes not to acknowledge himself "our Lord Jesus Christ," though he is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Christ everywhere and every way is our Christ, forever and ever most richly to enjoy. O my soul, by the power of the Holy Spirit! call him this morning, "thy Redeemer." Daily Light on the Daily Path Exodus 25:21,22 "You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. • "There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.Hebrews 9:8 The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, Matthew 27:50,51 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. • And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. Hebrews 10:19,20,22 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, • by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, • let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Romans 3:24,25 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; • whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; Ephesians 2:18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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