Wednesday Reflection, March 25, 2020

Wednesday Reflection, March 25, 2020

In the Potter’s Hands!

On your redeeming name we call,
Poor and unworthy though we be; pardon and sanctify us all; let each your full salvation see.
-J Montgomery

Greetings friends! Today’s watchword comes to us from Isaiah 29:16 ‘You turn things upside down! Shall the Potter be regarded as the clay? Shall the thing made say of its maker, ‘He did not make me’; or the thing formed say of the one who formed it, ‘He has no understanding ‘?

Isaiah 29 may be separated into several parts. The chapter on a whole looks at the cause and cure of spiritual blindness but as with all stories, there are sub topics/ headings.

First, Jerusalem is warned of a siege, there’s a divine promise of relief; then came a prophecy of spiritual unconscious, a repetition of Israel’s warning and then the restorative promises made to the people are renewed.

Brothers and sisters,
today we are reminded of the fact that Jerusalem, a great city was warmed by the prophet Isaiah that it would be brought to abject humiliation and extreme supplication. Now imagine that. Friends, all of us can attest that when our parents punished us or we now punish our own children that it is always from a place of love and purpose.

Jerusalem and the Israelites were and are still very dear to the Lord however, pride and boastfulness and ignorance of heart, lip service and all those things are not what the Lord requires of us. In our context, we have all experienced pride and have had reason to boast but what and whom do we boast of or about? 1 Corinthians 1:31 states that, “those who boast, boasts in the Lord.”

If we have gotten to a place where we are only offering lip service, speaking and doing things expected of us but our hearts are not bowed before the Lord, God is not pleased! And He is not to be mocked. Culture now dictates who some things can happen to and has caused many of us to believe we are and will always be exempt from judgement and the wrath of the Lord.

We’ve read of many battles recorded in sctipture, said Isaiah 29 gives the account of the Prophet’s warning of an impending siege. Although eons ago, I’d like to liken our current situation to that time. We, you and I, and the world all over have become besieged by covid-19. Some may have heeded warnings , others may have not.

Brothers and sisters, amidst the chaos and uncertainty that plague our minds. May we be reminded that sometimes the only way God can show us He is in control is to put us in situations that we can’t control.

In thinking of ourselves and how inconvenienced we have been, may we turn our focus toward praying and helping in whatever ways we can, those who have been quarantined,those who are fighting this virus, the patients, doctors and other medical practitioners, their loved ones, members of governments all over and even those among us who appear to be in denial.

In St. Luke 22:31-32 Jesup said, “Simon, Simon (Peter) listen! Satan has demanded permission to sift (all of) you like grain; but I have prayed (especially for you Peter) that your faith and confidence in me may not fail; and once you have turned back again (to me) strengthen and support your brothers in the faith.”

Finally my, brethren, I pray that our hope in God will be renewed, our faith will grow and we will humble our hearts before the Lord our God, our Maker.

Amen!

Kerone Lamoth