Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.” Isaiah 43:4-7
My wife and I have this playful game where I will tell her how much I love her, and she will reply jokingly, “What is love?” It is not a question that she says with doubt in her mind. Rather, it is a humorous reminder of the love we share and at times a little jab for me to step it up with more courtesy, affection, gentleness, or anything else that might show outwardly how special she is to me. I know that God loves me, but I have to admit there are times I am caught up in the ways of the world where it is not at the forefront of my thinking. Thus, I forget what is God’s love for me.
The truth is there is no love as great as the love God has for us. Today’s verses are like a short love note for people who openly wonder just how much God loves us. There are songs written about love that beautifully express that emotion, but when I read the words of Isaiah 43, it leaves little doubt as to just how much God loves us. The words that hit the mark include precious, honored, give, I am with you, bring my sons/daughters, everyone called by my name, whom I created for my glory. Wow! We may not be able to think of a love that rich. Yet if we love God as He loves us, others will experience God’s love through us.
Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.” (John 15:13) Then, He did just that for our sins. We could not have a greater love/friend than Jesus Christ. If you wonder just how much you are loved, remember the 43rd chapter of Isaiah, and be renewed by the love God has for us. How will you open your heart to God’s love for you? Where can you share God’s love more with others? My prayer is we can say Forrest Gump once said, “I know what love is.” Amen.
and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.” Isaiah 43:4-7
My wife and I have this playful game where I will tell her how much I love her, and she will reply jokingly, “What is love?” It is not a question that she says with doubt in her mind. Rather, it is a humorous reminder of the love we share and at times a little jab for me to step it up with more courtesy, affection, gentleness, or anything else that might show outwardly how special she is to me. I know that God loves me, but I have to admit there are times I am caught up in the ways of the world where it is not at the forefront of my thinking. Thus, I forget what is God’s love for me.
No comments:
Post a Comment