Job Done!
Opening Prayer
Jesus, give me a heart that longs to obey You. Teach me to love Your ways above my own.
Read Isaiah 44:24–28
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
24 “This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb:
I am the Lord,
the Maker of all things,
who stretches out the heavens,
who spreads out the earth by myself,
25 who foils the signs of false prophets
and makes fools of diviners,
who overthrows the learning of the wise
and turns it into nonsense,
26 who carries out the words of his servants
and fulfills the predictions of his messengers,
who says of Jerusalem, ‘It shall be inhabited,’
of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,’
and of their ruins, ‘I will restore them,’
27 who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry,
and I will dry up your streams,’
28 who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd
and will accomplish all that I please;
he will say of Jerusalem, “Let it be rebuilt,”
and of the temple, “Let its foundations be laid.”’
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Make a list of those aspects of your world which do not feel fully under control today.As he gave his life on the cross, Jesus famously declared, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Everything which needs divine attention is encapsulated in that work for all time at Calvary. In today’s passage, we see the very same God in action.
Here we can learn of the diverse nature of the Lord’s work in assuming full authority over his creation. As often in Isaiah, these acts of God range between galactic scale (24) and individual relationship (26) and include both oversight of the lovely natural world (23) and engagement with the seamy side of human affairs (25).
The tenses are interesting here. Verses 22 and 23 from yesterday’s reading relate to past events, declaring that “the Lord has done this.” Verses 24–26 are in the present tense, describing God’s character and continuing activity. The chapter then ends with a prophecy for the future (28).
Of course, for God the time is of only secondary importance. His authority stretches across eternity as well as over the heavens. It is we feeble humans who would like our problems to be over and done with right now.
Apply
List the accomplishments of the Creator that are recounted in just these five verses. I count at least 20 great deeds!
Closing prayer
God, give me a greater sense of Your engagement with every aspect of this life.
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