Meditation

Meditation for 10/09/2019

“What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have given us a remnant like this. Shall we again break your commands and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? O Lord, God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, thought because of it not one of us can stand in your presence.” (Ezra9:13-15)

The cause of justice would have required the total destruction of the people of Israel. In contrast, God in His grace left a remnant to repopulate the land and offer sacrifices of praise unto Him.

God did what was right for Israel, leaving a remnant to accomplish His purposes even though the remnant was also guilty. The highest price we must pay for our sin is the loss of the right to stand in God’s presence. His holiness is not compatible with human sin. We must confess our sin and accept His forgiveness to stand in His holy presence and enjoy fellowship with Him.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY:

Precious Abba, there is a price, and a high one, that we must pay for committing sins. We lose the honor of standing in Your presence. Therefore, we must come before You confessing our sins and seeking Your forgiveness. Just as important, we must accept Your forgiveness, when You accept our confession and forgive us. It is only then, Abba, that we are once again able to come into Your presence, fully restored as Your children. You knew us so much better that we even knew ourselves. Let our sincerity right loudly, that we truly are repentant of our sin and desiring to restore our relationship with You.. It is in Jesus’ name we pray to You for the blessing of Your forgiveness. Amen

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

“In a changing world, you can trust God’s unchanging Word.”

KNOWING GOD:

“This is what the Lord says: ‘As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and men say, “Don’t destroy it, there is yet some good in it, so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all. I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains; my chosen people will inherit them, and there will my servants live. Sharon will become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for my people who seek me.’” (Isaiah 65:8-10)

God distinguished clearly between His chosen servants who were still good and those who forsook Him. Each faced a different future. Election applies only to the faithful. Unbelieving people have no reason to claim to be part of God’s elect. Election is God taking the initiative to create a people out of obstinate rebels.

I AM:

The Church, God’s Community: (Hebrews12:4–11)

Discipline is a mark of sonship. The church as a community, and each member individually, struggles against temptation and sin. God helps in the struggle by rebuking and disciplining us. Receiving His discipline means we are His beloved sons. We can be sure God’s discipline is goof for us. It should lead us to reverence and worship Him and to live more faithful lives.

Second Thought of the Day:

“Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality.” It is just as Isaiah said previously: “Unless the Lord Almighty” had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.” (Romans 9:27–29)

The Old Testament remnant doctrine applies to the church. Just as God had reduced Israel to a remnant under Assyria, Babylon, and Persia, so God again reduced His people to those who followed Jesus, Israel’s Messiah.

God added to His Israelite faithful remnant those Gentiles or non-Jews who trusted Jesus for salvation. The church is God’s remnant seeking to lead all people—Jews and Gentiles—to Christ.