Tuesday Reflection, July 27,2021

A Gentle Reminder

Every now and then we come across a Bible verse or passage in which God speaks to us, reminding us of His majesty, dominion, and power. We need these timely reminders because at times our life can become so self-focused, that we forget the source of our very being, the source of our existence. God is our creator, God is our sustainer and God is our Redeemer. Today’s watchword is a reminder of who God is, and who we are in relation to God. It is from Isaiah 44: 24. Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who by myself spread out the earth.

The prophet Isaiah spoke to Israel in captive, reminding them not only of who they were, that is God’s covenant people, but also reminding them of whose they were, the only true God, creator and sustainer of all things, including themselves. Although they considered their situation the worst thing that could ever have happened to them, the prophet reminds them that God was still in control. The Babylonians may have been holding them captive, away from their home and the temple, but God was Lord over all and still able to reach, rescue and redeem them. In fact, this was exactly what God planned to do for them. They should not lose hope but rather trust in the God who is able to accomplish all things on His own. They were dependent on God, but God did not depend on them to do what God wanted to do. God could and would act, without their help. He would use a non-Jewish king and his army to rescue them. Sometimes we just need a gentle reminder to trust God regardless of our circumstances.

Why would God do that for them though? Why would God rescue a people who had been displaced because of their disobedience in the first place? The Lord makes two things clear in his discourse with Israel. Firstly, not one of them existed without His action. He formed each of them, and us, in the womb. Cell by cell, bone by bone, muscle by muscle, organ by organ, limb by limb. He who formed us, knows best what our needs are. We need to trust His wisdom. Secondly, not only did He form us, but He created the environment for our very existence. This he did all by himself. Thus, all we need for our existence has been created by our maker. He created us, he sustains us and when we go astray, He will redeem us. This is what Israel needed to know. Their salvation was in God’s plan. They were God’s and God would save them. We can take hope in this fact today. The covenant was made, the price for our redemption has been paid. As Count Zinzendorf said, ‘our creator is our redeemer’. No matter how bad it gets, no matter how hopeless we feel, we need to remember that the one who created us is the same one who redeems us. It will never be too late or too much for the Lord Jesus Christ to save those who are His. A gentle reminder at the appropriate time will help us to keep our sanity and renew our hope for the future. Remain hopeful and keep the faith. Sometimes we just need a gentle reminder to trust God regardless of our circumstances. Amen.