Wednesday, August 15, 2007

I Challenge You (dun dun dun~)

Hello my lovely brothers & sisters in EM =)

I just wanted to post a few verses from my QT this morning~
I was contemplating on whether I should post this or not, but... whatever. I chose to post it. :P
I know it's kind of long~ but, just read it~ unless you have something better to do ;)

*******
Isaiah 54:2-8

2 "Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.

3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your descendants will dispossess nations
and settle in their desolate cities.

4 "Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth
and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.

5 For your Maker is your husband—
the LORD Almighty is his name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
he is called the God of all the earth.

6 The LORD will call you back
as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,
only to be rejected," says your God.

7 "For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with deep compassion I will bring you back.

8 In a surge of anger
I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,"
says the LORD your Redeemer.

*******

In verse 2, the prophet Isaiah is using the illustration of a tent. He was telling the Jews to enlarge the place of their tents, stretch their curtains, etc. as a challenge to act in faith & to depend on God's promises only.

In verses 4-8 Judah is being viewed as a wife judicially separated from her Husband, God, because of her sin. But, because God had such an intimate relationship with his people, he never ceased to love them. AND- even though they were in exile for many many years, God's compassion for Judah just seemed like a fleeting "moment".

SO--- basically, I just wanted to challenge you guys by saying, "TRUST IN GOD!!" Trusting in God IS a challenge sometimes... but I urge you to take a step of faith. ACTUALLY, I urge you to take MANY steps of faith & lean on God's promises.

Like verse 4 says, "do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more..." God has taken all that shame from us forever~ no matter what we've done. He said, "...with deep compassion I will bring you back..." & "...with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you..."

So, yea!!! Don't forget how much God LOVES YOU!!! <3

As an EM (or- as Christians~), I pray that we can see each person as God sees them AND that we can show compassion towards one another as God has given us.

Like William Carey said,

"EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM GOD
ATTEMPT GREAT THINGS FOR GOD"

I love you guys a LOT... SOOOOO very very much <3
LET'S DO THIS!

2 comments:

Destiny said...

***My eyes are just opened like from ~ _ ~ to O _ O

kekeke

Do the QT and post it everyday Jane...!!!

luv ya ~

little jane said...

oh... errr...
i'll do my best o_O? hahaha