Meditation

02/06/2023

“In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, ‘Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.’” (Isaiah 19:23-25)

Worship of God by Assyria and Egypt reminds us that God is the universal God of Abraham. He owns the universe and welcomes worship from all peoples, even those who first enslaved Jacob and those who conquered the Northern Kingdom. All persons who recognize God are His people. Election is a call to mission, not a call to self-righteous exclusion of others.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY:

Dear Abba, You love all of your people, and those that worship You are supposed to love others in the same manner towards all others who serve God. Help us to learn to look at others with the heart of God beating within us and to listen to the Holy Spirit, that we might be led to worship along side of all of God’s people. In the meantime,our hope for a peaceful solution to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. We pray for the innocents caught in the middle of this conflict and for You to end this conflict now, and let us all praise Your Holy Name. We also pray for those around this country and around the world who are suffering under persecution and the damages caused by the recent cold front snow and ice. We also pray for those who are suffering from the loss of loved ones, for all who are suffering in body, mind, and/or spirit, with friends, family, and for those we don’t know. Amen

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

“The empty tomb proves Christianity. The empty church denies it..”

KNOWING GOD:

“In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will steam to it. Many nations will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of he God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’ The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Every man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken. All the nations may walk in the name of their gods; we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.” (Micah 4:1-5)

Micah went about barefooted and naked, mourning and wailing like an owl and jackal because of the incurable wounds and sin sickness of Judah. He was hurt over he exploitation and immorality of the priests and prophets. He had a noble vision when nations would not take up the sword against each other. The law of God would go out from Zion. All nations would come to the mountain of the Lord to learn about Him. Israel’s election purpose of pointing the nations to God would be realized.

SECOND THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

“As I begin to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?’ When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, ‘So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.’” (Acts 11:15-18)

Some of the Jewish Christians were narrow of mind and heart, continuing the nationalistic religion of their ancestors. The gift of the Spirit to the Gentiles shocked them. The elect cannot predict what God will do next or whom He will favor with spiritual or material blessings. The elect cannot control either God or the Holy Spirit. He Holy Spirit in a life reflects the person is one of God’s elect. We have no standing in even trying too control God or the Holy Spirit. God’s decision is based on things we are not even aware of yet. We are to be obedient to Him always, for He is our God and His will is to be done no matter what!