He is here!
"I've made myself available to those who haven't bothered to ask. I'm here, ready to be found by those who haven't bothered to look." (Is. 65:1)
God does the initial work of seeking us out - preparing us to find him in our search. To those of us that continually strive to do things our own way, God answers, "I am here." It is always amazing to me to really think about the fact that God waits for me to be ready for him - he is here! He lets me try my own thing, do things my own way and then stands ready to reach in at the very moment that I realize my need for him in my situation - he is here!
God has always had a love that just waits to be shared with those who will acknowledge their need - I am here. When we are willing to lay down our own ways and begin to seek him with an intensity of heart and spirit, the rewards are great. His chosen are assured of an inheritance - but more importantly - we are assured of a right-standing with God, in his presence.
From our simple passage today, I must ask us to consider a few questions:
1. Are we bothering to even reach out to God, or are we just content to go on in our own efforts, struggling along the way we have chosen?
2. Are we really wanting God and his direction in our lives, or are we paying him lip-service, not really intent on yielding to his plans?
3. Are we looking for God with an intensity of heart and spirit?
4. An invitation only holds for so long - are we responsive to the sender of the invitation of our God that affords to us ample grace, overwhelming peace, and sufficient power in our lives exactly where and when we need it?
Remember: A communication opportunity takes both a sender and a receiver - is there is no response to the sender, the communication soon stops.
"Pay close attention now: I'm creating new heavens and a new earth. All the earlier troubles, chaos, and pain are things of the past, to be forgotten. Look ahead with joy. Anticipate what I'm creating..." (Is. 65:17-18)
Each one of us is a unique work of our great God. Before we call out - he has heard. Before we finish speaking - he has answered. Oh, don't get me wrong, the answer may not appear like a bolt of lightening in the immediacy of here and now. It may reveal itself over the course of time - but God answered before we ever finished uttering our prayer. What God asks of us today is that we pay close attention - not to the troubles, chaos, or pain of the past - but to him - he is here. He declares that those things of the past are to be forgotten and we are to look ahead with joy - he is here. In turn, we are to develop a heart attitude of anticipating what he is creating in our present and revealing in our future - he is here.
We cannot anticipate God's intervention if we are focused on the impossibilities we see in our present and our past. We cannot embrace God and his presence if our hearts are so full of ourselves. Our hope today is the fact that HE IS HERE! Isn't it about time that we begin to acknowledge his presence in our present circumstances (even if they are completely of our own making) and see what he will do once he is acknowledged?
God does the initial work of seeking us out - preparing us to find him in our search. To those of us that continually strive to do things our own way, God answers, "I am here." It is always amazing to me to really think about the fact that God waits for me to be ready for him - he is here! He lets me try my own thing, do things my own way and then stands ready to reach in at the very moment that I realize my need for him in my situation - he is here!
God has always had a love that just waits to be shared with those who will acknowledge their need - I am here. When we are willing to lay down our own ways and begin to seek him with an intensity of heart and spirit, the rewards are great. His chosen are assured of an inheritance - but more importantly - we are assured of a right-standing with God, in his presence.
From our simple passage today, I must ask us to consider a few questions:
1. Are we bothering to even reach out to God, or are we just content to go on in our own efforts, struggling along the way we have chosen?
2. Are we really wanting God and his direction in our lives, or are we paying him lip-service, not really intent on yielding to his plans?
3. Are we looking for God with an intensity of heart and spirit?
4. An invitation only holds for so long - are we responsive to the sender of the invitation of our God that affords to us ample grace, overwhelming peace, and sufficient power in our lives exactly where and when we need it?
Remember: A communication opportunity takes both a sender and a receiver - is there is no response to the sender, the communication soon stops.
"Pay close attention now: I'm creating new heavens and a new earth. All the earlier troubles, chaos, and pain are things of the past, to be forgotten. Look ahead with joy. Anticipate what I'm creating..." (Is. 65:17-18)
Each one of us is a unique work of our great God. Before we call out - he has heard. Before we finish speaking - he has answered. Oh, don't get me wrong, the answer may not appear like a bolt of lightening in the immediacy of here and now. It may reveal itself over the course of time - but God answered before we ever finished uttering our prayer. What God asks of us today is that we pay close attention - not to the troubles, chaos, or pain of the past - but to him - he is here. He declares that those things of the past are to be forgotten and we are to look ahead with joy - he is here. In turn, we are to develop a heart attitude of anticipating what he is creating in our present and revealing in our future - he is here.
We cannot anticipate God's intervention if we are focused on the impossibilities we see in our present and our past. We cannot embrace God and his presence if our hearts are so full of ourselves. Our hope today is the fact that HE IS HERE! Isn't it about time that we begin to acknowledge his presence in our present circumstances (even if they are completely of our own making) and see what he will do once he is acknowledged?
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