She who has ears to ear . . .

Deuteronomy 27:1–28:19; Psalm 119:1–24; Isaiah 54; Matthew 2

Being easily distracted, I often hear from God but forget what I heard, not because it was unimportant but because some other truth intrigued me and drew my thoughts away from the first one. This morning’s early prayer was that God would enlighten my darkness. Not knowing what to expect, the Lord surprised me by repeating that request:

Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. (Psalm 119:17–18)

The order of these words tells me that God must grant me life and the ability to conform to His will — then open my eyes so I can see the ‘outrageous’ things that He wants me to see, including what I asked for today. What amazes me is that the enlightenment He gave is not a new vision but repetition of a promise I’ve read many times along with the realization of how easily I forget it and turn from it — becoming worried or concerned that He has not yet answered my prayers for some of my family members. When I read this passage, I felt like God was shouting at me. Those shouts are in italics, the main one is in bold letters:

“Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord. “Enlarge the place of your tent and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities. “Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more. For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. For the Lord has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God. For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer. “This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you and will not rebuke you. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. “O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles, and all your wall of precious stones. All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from me; whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you. Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy; no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 54:1–17)

Aside from not being a deserted wife, this describes some of my experience. Saved as an adult, I came into the kingdom thinking I knew what I was doing but realize now how much I relied on myself and didn’t seek the Lord. My family suffered because of my pride. God could have blessed them with salvation but chose instead to humble me. He persists, yet He also promises to take care of family members. Yet when I hear the promises but see little evidence that anything is happening, I become discouraged, even distracted away from walking by faith to relying on sight.

APPLY: Today God shouts at me. “Stop letting sight run your life and listen — I am going to teach your family and give them My peace. Focus on that and instead of letting what you see determine what you believe, let My promises fill your heart and give you peace.” Amen!

 

A promise concerning unsaved children

Deuteronomy 22; Psalms 110–111; Isaiah 49; Revelation 19

From the time God selected Israel as His people to now when all who believe in their Messiah are called Israel, there have been children of believers who themselves have not trusted the Lord for forgiveness and eternal life. Many parents grieve and feel alienated from their offspring without that bond, even though they love them dearly.

God spoke words of restoration to His people. He would bring their children to Himself, no matter how impossible it might seem. In this passage, when it happened, the parents would be totally surprised.

The children of your bereavement will yet say in your ears: ‘The place is too narrow for me; make room for me to dwell in.’ Then you will say in your heart: ‘Who has borne me these? I was bereaved and barren, exiled and put away, but who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; from where have these come?’ 

God explains that He did it. He brought them to Himself so they would know that He is Lord and know that when He promised they would not be put to shame, He meant it.

Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and raise my signal to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders. Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.”

Like many modern parents of wayward children, they must have wondered how this could happen since the children were deeply involved under the tyranny of evil, oppressed by the devil who had deceived them and held them in his grip. Their redemption seemed impossible. For this, God says:

Can the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be rescued? For thus says the Lord: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued, for I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children. I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine. Then all flesh shall know that I am the Lord your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” (Isaiah 49:20–26)

In my Bible, I have underlined, ” . . . and I will save your children.” In this passage, God’s promise is to Israel at a specific time but when is debatable. Because He works in patterns, this promise could cover everything from the Babylonian captivity to the Great Tribulation. It can also be a promise to specific parents whose children are far from God and He wants those parents to remember that He is a saving God. His power is greater than whatever holds their kids captive and all He needs to do is give the signal and all the prodigals will come home.

It is difficult to pray for family members with the sole desire that “all flesh shall know that He is the LORD our Savior, and our Redeemer.” We want them saved so our burden is lifted, or our shame is taken away, or they are joyful in Jesus, or so we are certain of their eternal destiny. I sense God working in me to take away all my ‘I wants’ for my family — not that they are bad, but that His work is not in any way done to glorify me, or my family, or anyone’s family. It is to make Him known and to bring Him glory.

APPLY: I’m learning to pray for His glory only. I still sense in me my own reasons for wanting family members to trust Jesus yet that desire for the glory of God is growing under His Holy Spirit power. At the same time, the more this grows, the more I am at peace about unsaved others. God will take care of them in His way and in His time. One way or another, His will is certain to be accomplished — because He says so.

 

Speak up or shut up?

Tuesday evening in a parking lot, a woman told me that her adult children were not interested in God or going to church. They wanted nothing to do with any sort of religion. This was causing her great heartache and suffering. She was tearful, but also convinced that it was time to shut up and let God do His work in their hearts.

I understand her feelings and her conclusion. If our family members are saying NO to God, then my arguments and preaching is more likely to harden heats than soften them. The Holy Spirit needs to do His work.

Some would disagree and say that you must keep telling them about Jesus and what He has done. They might tell this woman that she should be bold not fearful, and press on, urging them to repent. They might cite passages such as this one:

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.” (2 Timothy 1:7–12)

Timothy was young and timid in his role as pastor. Paul told him that this fear was not from God. Rather, God gives His servants power, love, and self-control. Power is “the ability to influence reality in a supernatural manner.” From experience, Christians learn that we either have it or we don’t. God can use our words to change lives, but we cannot assume it, particularly when our hearts are determined to have our way. Usually this power shows up when we do not expect it, not when we desperately want it!

The word for love in this verse is “a strong, non-sexual affection and regard for a person and their good as understood by God’s moral character; especially characterized by a willing forfeiture of rights or privileges in another person’s behalf.” While that often describes the heart of a concerned mother, it also describes a willingness to give up our ‘right’ to pressure our kids into living the way we want them to live. Love is sacrificial, but not manipulative.

Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, but the term in this verse is not the kind of control required to keep quiet when I want to talk. The word is about being given wisdom to know what God wants me to do. Self is always eager to do what I want to do, like persuade and convince someone to believe, but arguments and human logic are not the ways of God.

As the devotional reading for today says, salvation is of the Lord. Human merit has nothing to do with it, nor does human persuasion. If God chooses us in Christ, redeems us in Christ, regenerates us and calls us in Christ, He must also be the one who convinces us to follow His leading and yield to His grace. Humanly, our sinful nature will say NO to God because sin wants to go its own way, do its own thing. Unless God changes our hearts, we will not — and cannot — say YES to Him, no matter how much someone else may want us to.

^^^^^^^^

Jesus, the devotional also says there is no doctrine more practical than this. I whole-heartedly agree. Grace and the failure of human effort to save or change lives, including my own, strips away my pride. Yet grace gives me a solid place to stand. You accomplished my salvation. You granted me the faith to believe. I did not earn or deserve it and nothing I do will destroy it. Instead, I can exalt and honor You. You are my Savior, and because I can trust You with my eternal destiny, I can trust You with the eternal destiny of others. Unless You give me a clear assignment to do something, their lives are entirely in Your wise and loving hands.