Ensign: The Third Day In Lent

All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.            Isaiah 18:3

 

AN ENSIGN ON THE MOUNTAINS                                                    20 February 2015

 

"Also I heard the voice of the LORD, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?  Then I said, Here am I; send me.  And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not."  In Isaiah 6 we see God's calling of Isaiah as a prophet in a dream.  But what a message (particularly in verses 8 and 9 here)  -- I'm telling you what God has told me, but don't believe a word of it!  Unfortunately, too many of us make the choice to accept what's pleasant to the ear and soothing to the touch.  We're faced with bonds and limits we can't break out of because we set them for ourselves.

 

As we proceed from Ash Wednesday two days ago into this season of Lent in the Christian church, can we take a moment to ask if we obey God for what He promises us?  Or do we have an "ulterior motive", one which we don't dare to voice?  I'm sure you could give testimony after testimony of how obeying God is far from pleasurable.  But the point the Good News makes is that this is not a comfortable world we live in.  Prophecies given in the Old and New Testaments about the future point to a world and people lost in sin getting worse and more lost.  Christians need to ask themselves: is that in spite of me or because of me?

 

The Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20 -- "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." -- has no time limit.  All of us are created by God and commanded by Him to be His witnesses, but that doesn't mean we'll do the same things.  All of us have gifts, and all of us are being asked by God, "Who will go for us?"  Can we say too, "Here am I; send me" ? 

 

David

P. S. I write this weekly devotional to keep in touch with you, and I hope it encourages you too. If I'm not or you want me to get lost, please let me know -- thank you!

Thank You, Lord, that we can come to You in praise and prayer and that You provide for all our needs, even the ones we don't know we have! Let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem on both sides of the fence there and around the world.

Thank You, Lord, for all of us in leadership and service here and abroad, as well as for opportunities we have and the promise of new life! I pray we all seek and have a blessed week. Amen.