Readings for today: Isaiah 43-45, Psalm 80
Recently, I’ve been feeling the weight of some heavy burdens. Some significant life changes. My oldest child has moved across the country. My father is experiencing a precipitous decline in health. In addition, I’ve come alongside some dear friends to help through some serious marital issues. I’ve taken on an additional national leadership responsibility with my denomination. I am heading to South Sudan with my youngest daughter in a couple of weeks for some intense church planter training. All of this is on top of the normal weight of pastoral ministry I carry. I don’t share this to gain sympathy but simply to describe the kind of seasonal pressures I know we all go through in life. It’s impossible to plan for and we often find ourselves coming quickly to the end of our resources when we enter such seasons. Perhaps that’s why I loved the words from Isaiah 43 so much this morning…
“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That’s how much you mean to me! That’s how much I love you! I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.” (Isaiah 43:1-4 MSG)
It reminds me of Jesus’ words from Matthew 11 where He invites all those who are weary and heavy-laden to come to Him. To yoke ourselves to Him. To be led by Him. God is so faithful. In the darkest times, He is our light. In the hardest times, He is our strength. When we are afraid, He is our courage. When we are depressed, He is the lifter of our head. No matter how challenging and overwhelming our circumstances may get, He won’t ever let us go. He is with us. He is for us. He will not let us be crushed by the weight nor drown in the flood.
God is personal. We can’t take that for granted. He is personally involved in our lives. Personally invested in the people we are becoming. Just as He paid a huge price for Israel, so He paid a huge price for each one of us. He gave His own life in exchange for our own. We are no longer our own. We were bought with a price. An inestimable price of infinite worth. That’s how much we mean to God! That’s how much God loves us! He sold off so much more than the world to get us back. He traded for more than creation to save us. He gave up His own Son. He laid down His own life. On the cross, Jesus stretched His arms wide, laying hold of both heaven and earth, and laid claim to every single human soul that has ever lived and/or will live. The image Him hanging there still leaves me breathless after all these years. And it’s why, when I fix my eyes on Him, my burdens become easy and my yoke light for I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is with me.
Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 46-49, Psalm 135