Monday Reflection – February 03, 2020
Monday Reflection – February 03, 2020
Look and Live!
All who were incensed against him shall come to him and be ashamed. Isaiah 45:24
As we roam about in this world seeking for purpose in life and how we may achieve success and fulfillment, there is always the tendency to explore a myriad of options to accomplish this. The Israelites were no different and seemed to have mastered this attitude and behaviour. They often turned their backs on God and their covenant agreement and served idol gods. And, they always reaped the consequences of their wayward actions.
Isaiah 45 serves as another of God’s call to Israel to follow him; they should look to him and be saved. In this process God points out the how to do this:
- Look to the God who chose Cyrus to act on his behalf. God outlines the call and mission for Cyrus (vs. 1-3) and the purpose behind God’s calling and mission for Cyrus (vs. 4-7).
- Look to the God who created everything. Hear God calling to creation in verse 8: “Rain down, you heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness; let the earth open, let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together. I, the Lord, have created it.” So God points out the foolishness of resisting the Creator (vs. 9-10) and this God of all creation will raise up Cyrus and deliver His people (vs. 11-13).
- Look to the God who is above all gods (vs. 14-17). Here God declares His greatness and the foolishness of idolatry (vs. 18-21). He closes this chapter by calling all to look to him and find salvation, in full surrender (vs. 22-25). It is in this closing section that God warns in today’s Watchword that all who are opposed to God’s governance and laws shall be ashamed. The enemies of God shall see their own folly and they shall be ashamed that they have dared to oppose one so mighty and so glorious as the living God.
Today’s text invites us to submit ourselves to the lordship of the Sovereign God for there is not a better choice to make. As we do so, we should also challenge others to surrender their lives to the Lord. They must be made aware of the joylessness and emptiness that accompany those who live outside of God and the dire consequences of such actions. Yet, there is awesome joy and fulfilment in serving God.
Charles Spurgeon tells his own story: “I had been wandering about, seeking rest, and finding none, till a plain, unlettered, lay preacher among the Primitive Methodists stood up in the pulpit, and gave out this passage as his text: ‘Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.’ He had not much to say, thank God, for that compelled him to keep on repeating his text, and there was nothing needed, except his text. ‘…if he looks, the promise is that he shall live.’ Then, stopping, he pointed to where I was sitting under the gallery, and he said, ‘That young man there looks very miserable.’ Then he said, ‘There is no hope for you, young man, or any chance of getting rid of your sin, but by looking to Jesus;’ and he shouted… ‘Look! Look, young man! Look now!’ And I did look; and when they sang a hallelujah before they went home… I am sure I joined in it.”
Today, look to Jesus and live!
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