Thursday after the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on November 14, 2019 by under
Scripture: Isaiah 43:14-25 (NKJV)
43:14 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“For your sake I will send to Babylon, and bring them all down as fugitives—the Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”
16 Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters,
17 Who brings forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power (they shall lie down together, they shall not rise; They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick):
18 “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
20 The beast of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen.
21 This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise.
22 “But you have not called upon Me, O Jacob; And you have been weary of Me, O Israel.
23 You have not brought Me the sheep for your burnt offerings, nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices. I have not caused you to serve with grain offerings, nor wearied you with incense.
24 You have bought Me no sweet cane with money, nor have you satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices; But you have burdened Me with your sins, you have wearied Me with your iniquities.
25 “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.
Devotion
After I read the Scripture appointed for today I wondered what to write. Tired after a long day, I sat down at the computer and reread today’s text. As I was reading, the words “And you have been weary of Me” began to trouble me. I thought about how easy it is for the joy of being a Christian to turn into contempt toward God because of the many problems one faces as a Christian. How is a Christian to face the many challenges of life and not become “weary” of God?
I am reminded of my pastor from years ago who told me, “If you are struggling, that is a good sign. It tells me that God is at work in you.” God uses the words, “And you have been weary of Me” to awaken you to the fact that He is there in your life, stirring your soul. In the midst of our faithlessness God remains faithful to His chosen people, turning us from sin unto His Son and the forgiveness He won.
“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.”
We pray: O God, who by the meek endurance of Thine Only-Begotten Son didst beat down the pride of the old enemy, help us, we beseech Thee, rightly to treasure in our hearts what our Lord hath of His goodness borne for our sakes, that after His example we may bear with patience whatsoever things are adverse to us. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
