The Well
The Well |
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Connecting Hope to the Hurting | |
Friday
July 4, 2008
Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed out the mountains and the hills? Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who knows enough to be his teacher or counselor? Has the Lord ever needed anyone's advice? Does he need instruction about what is good or what is best? No, for all the nations of the world are nothing in comparison with him. They are but a drop in the bucket, dust on the scales. He picks up the islands as though they had no weight at all. All Lebanon's forests do not contain sufficient fuel to consume a sacrifice large enough to honor him. All Lebanon' sacrificial animals would not make an offering worthy of our God. The nations of the world are as nothing to him. In his eyes they are less than nothing ¾ mere emptiness and froth. Isaiah 40:12-17
The opening of this chapter starts with the Lord telling Isaiah to "comfort"
His people! Well, god sent that beloved Comforter, first in Jesus, and today in
the power of the Holy Spirit. Nicole C. Mullins' song, I Know My Redeemer
Lives starts with words that were more than likely drawn from this
scripture, but she sings:
"Who taught the sun how to rise in the morning?
And who taught the oceans you can only come this far?"
Yes, who
indeed?
Today is Independence Day in America! This is the day we remember the fact that we live in a free country and are independent from any other nation governing us. Unfortunately, that freedom means that today there are many people independent in their relationship with God as well. They feel absolutely no need to answer to anyone; much less God.
Our Father created us with a will of our own. We have the freedom to make decisions for ourselves. Yet, if we are going to accomplish anything as a nation and/or as a church we must learn to be "interdependent" upon God and one another. No man/woman is an island.
If you haven't had the opportunity to see Cast Away and you aren't opposed to seeing movies, this one is worth seeing. Tom Hank's character ends up on an island ¾ alone. What he endures there helps us see our need for God and each other. God created us with a need to communicate and without that communication we could quite possibly go insane.
Well, we are not alone! We live in a nation and are surrounded by people all around. Maybe what we need to do is make the effort to relate to God and the people He places in our lives.
Father, we recognize that You have created each one of us individually in one aspect. Yet, through Your creation process we also take on the characteristics of our parents and You. Help us to recognize that we aren't designed to live independently but interdependently! We need You and we need each other. We truly are people who need people. As we gather with family and/or friends today Lord, help us keep You in the center!
