Isaiah 27:3
I, the Lord, am its Keeper; I water it every moment; lest anyone harm it, I guard and keep it night and day.
The Lord is talking about the vine which is the people. I loved this verse because of the word Keeper. I love this one song called To Be Kept By Jesus. Its such a profound piece of music because God is a keeper. He will keep you. For me, that's meant that even when I didn't want to do right for my own sake, He made sure nothing happened to me. He quite literally made a way for His purpose to stay intact because I couldn't see it and I couldn't understand it. He made sure no harm came to me. Now that's not to say that I didn't ever choose it. I surely did. I've got the scars to prove it. But can I tell you He was faithful even in that? Can I tell you that even when I couldn't cope, He was ever present? Because He was. He is. He shall be.
I think about day and night and how our lives are sometimes really dark and how in those times He's closer than ever. I remember so distinctly knowing He was present with me when I wasn't getting into med school last year. I didn't understand why He wouldn't just do what I wanted but I knew He was with me. I knew I could cling to Him. I didn't quite trust that He had better for me, but I know He was my only way out of darkness. '
And on today, I've already prayed using this word for her. Keep her, Jesus. She is my love and she needs you. I know you will because you've done it for me. Be her very present help.
Isaiah 27:5-6
Or else [if all Israel would escape being burned up together there is but one alternative], let them take hold of My strength and make complete surrender to My protection, that they may make peace with Me! Yes, let them make peace with Me!
In the days and generations to come Jacob shall take root; Israel shall blossom and send forth shoots and fill the whole world with fruit [of the knowledge of the true God].
Complete surrender. Listen.... complete? Complete is a faith walk that doesn't play any games. I'm not there in all areas but I am in some and I'm working on it in others and its changed my life so profoundly. The first place I had to do this was with getting into grad school. Ironically enough my mentor and I walked through that together as well as getting into med school.
I was supposed to go to UNC. UNC was courting me, I'd had a meeting with the guy I wanted to work for AND he wanted me in his lab. I applied early for UNC and was invited down for an interview. While there we were told that they were taking at least 1 grad student into each lab and 2 into some. There were 9 of us. That meant there was space for everyone. Additionally, on of the faculty was writing a grant for me to having funding because I was and am a North Carolina resident and there's special funding to education NC POC in STEM PhD programs. My interview went swimmingly and then I didn't hear. I didn't hear for a long time and then I got a letter in the mail. Rejected. And UNC was the only school I'd applied to. I called my mentor and cried on her phone and she laid out a plan. I followed it. I followed it all the way to Nebraska and its one of the best decisions I've ever made for myself. God had something for me I couldn't have conceived of or imagined and it was such a blessing.
Following the Nebraska thing, He's been growing my faith. He's clearly got a plan. And when I tell you being in His will is peaceful? Like a babbling stream. And now, this thing me and God are doing is indescribable. I had such turmoil in my spirit until I turned all this over to Jesus and said okay, if you want me to do something here, show me. When I tell you He went right on ahead and did exactly that and has been walking with me ever since in that area...I mean it. I've gotten so much from the waiting. From the believing and the hoping only in Him. From letting Him show me what He has in the supernatural that hasn't become a part of the natural. And its also given me a thirst to know Him cause I know its not me doing these things. I feel like my life says I know Him.
Isaiah 28:5-6
At that time, God-of-the-Angel-Armies will be
the beautiful crown on the head of what’s left of his people:
Energy and insights of justice to those who guide and decide,
strength and prowess to those who guard and protect.
the beautiful crown on the head of what’s left of his people:
Energy and insights of justice to those who guide and decide,
strength and prowess to those who guard and protect.
The people of God are obvious. As a child of God, I feel like my life should say so. I feel like the things I do, the things I say, my attitudes and opinions, should all be informed by my relationship with Christ. The bible said we should be set apart. We should be different. And I definitely feel that way. Sometimes I feel really odd. I mean I'm literally believing something that isn't happening but can I tell you God can and He will and He does? Its true.
When I think about the things God has given me in the Spirit, the a sense of justice and discernment, I'm baffled. I know it isn't me. I know its never been me but to be cognitively aware of the fact that it isn't you is another thing. There are words that come out of my mouth that aren't mine, actions that don't originate in my body. There's a strength of character I've never ever had before and a desire to protect and love that is deep and pervasive and holy. These aren't at all me. Me watches Netflix. The Spirit of God in me, reads the Bible, writes this devotional, prays, and seeks Him. It also watches Netflix...but not before the Bible.
Isaiah 28:16
Therefore thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am laying in Zion for a foundation a Stone, a tested Stone, a precious Cornerstone of sure foundation; he who believes (trusts in, relies on, and adheres to that Stone) will not [b]be ashamed or give way or hasten away
The above is Jesus. This is a prophecy about the Living God coming in the form of man to save us all. This is the foretelling of salvation. I love that Jesus was tested. He was tested and tried and proven, not because I didn't believe He was God but because it almost makes Him more human. I know He knows my struggle because He literally lived it. He lived it and didn't sin but He knows intimately. Jesus isn't only the cornerstone of my faith but the cornerstone of my reality. He's the place from which I gain perspective. He's my evening meal and my morning sunrise. He's everything. I'm never ashamed of Him. He's never failed. He never will fail. When I think of shame, I think of God making you a promise that doesn't come to pass. That's not a thing. Not with God. He's faithful and He's not a man that He should lie. Even when He was an actual man, He sinned not. The Lord I serve is so good to me and I don't deserve it but He thinks I do and His thoughts are above mine so...
Isaiah 28:29
This also comes from the Lord of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel [and] excellent in wisdom and effectual working.
When I think on the promises God has made me that haven't come to pass yet and I think about logistics, I'm overwhelmed. How? When? Really? I don't see it. I had some thoughts that made sense to me but they are so far from my mind now because I've seen so many times that His plan is better than mine. Even though I thought mine would work out perfectly, they didn't. What He has done is given me a brand new life and a perspective from which to see my life differently. To go from wanting to being told its His Will is a Grand Canyon sized leap both in reality and in the spirit. Its required so much more from me but He's been right there every step. His reassurances are faith affirming and beautiful in their simplicity.
Isaiah 29:13
And the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips but remove their hearts and minds far from Me, and their fear andreverence for Me are a commandment of men that is learned by repetition [without any thought as to the meaning]
I use to think some rituals were empty. I found so much more in my relationship with God when I got away from them as a young person. As a slightly older young person, I've come to know that rituals require heart. Going through the motions and reciting the words isn't worth anything, to me or to God. He says so very plainly here. Its the heart that must be engaged for faith. Its a heart thing. I obviously make it cerebral to some degree because that's my personality but my soul isn't my brain and my soul loves the Lord. Its vital to remember that saying it doesn't make it a thing. Believing it does. On so many occasions, I've not uttered one word but He's heart me. Its heart.
Isaiah 29:16
You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be considered of no more account than the clay? Shall the thing that is made say of its maker, He did not make me; or the thing that is formed say of him who formed it, He has no understanding?
God, not me God.How can I not acknowledge my Creator, my Redeemer, my soul's greatest love, my very present help?
God.
It's always God.
Isaiah 29:24
Those who err in spirit will come to understanding, and those who murmur [discontentedly] will accept instruction
I'm wrong a lot. All the time. God's so loving and patient with me. But He definitely sends correction. I've come to see lots of way that I wasn't right but there's no condemnation. There's just do better next time. There's give a better effort next time. There's try again. Even when I've been very very disagreeable and disheartened, He's been Himself. He's been all the things that Love is and never treated me as I deserved. He treats me as His beloved and even his instruction is loving. He's never rushed me. I've never felt like I had to do better before I was equipped to. He does it all. He's so faithful in the doing as well. There's nobody like Him.
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