Tuesday November 15, 2011

Read  Isaiah 49:1-13

 

Time breeds pride.

 

What do I mean by that? It’s very easy to grow in pride over time as a Christian, because we can easily veer off onto that self sufficient, self praising, self righteous road that congratulates oneself for one’s own salvation. It’s easy when we’re on this self righteous road to start thinking things like, ‘I can see why God saved me but I can’t see anything in that other person that warrants salvation.’ or ‘Why would God save her/him?’ Over time our focus can slip from the cross to ourselves and our achievements and the end result is PRIDE.

 

But it helps to keep our eye firmly on our past and to never forget where we came from.  While we are saints, not sinners, because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we must never forget the depths of sin we were saved from. We must never forget the price that Jesus paid to save us - the price of death for our rebellion and sinfulness.

 

Traditionally this passage has been called another Suffering Servant Passage  that speaks of the one who will come and do the special work that God has anointed Him to do. He will restore the elect of Israel to God and will take the Lord’s salvation out to the ends of the earth.

 

This will mean being abhorred by the nations and being a servant to the rulers so that those in darkness can be set free and those in captivity can be called out.

The servant of Yahweh will suffer immensely so that those who know they need a rescuer can find and enjoy the grace and mercy of God. The rescuer, Jesus, would suffer rejection and punishment from God so that the down hearted, the broken, the needy, the unlovable can find and experience the love, the joy, the radiating grace of God Almighty.

 

The Christian Church should not be filled with pride. There should not be even a skerrick of pride in the house of the Lord because each and every believer has been saved by the blood of the Lamb. Each and every believer has had his/her sins nailed to the cross with the rescuer. None of us deserved it. We are all recipients of God’s Amazing Grace.

 

What then should fill the House of the Lord?

Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.

 

Think of a praise song that deeply touches you. Listen to it a few times and spend the day singing that song of praise to your God.

 

Prayer:-

à As God for His guidance and blessings as Andrew & Samantha Bryan and family, as they work through all the necessities of relocating Student Life Head office to Brisbane.

 

à Uphold all the students and leaders involved in Student Life, as this year starts to wind down.