The Lord God gives me the right word to encourage the weary. Each morning he awakens me eager to learn his teaching; he made me willing to listen and not rebel or run away. I let them beat my back and pull out my beard. I didn’t turn aside when they insulted me and spit in my face. But the Lord God keeps me from being disgraced. So, I refuse to give up, because I know God will never let me down. (Isaiah 50:4-7)
I have no idea what it is like to have the hairs in my beard plucked out or have someone beat my back, and I don’t mind telling you, I have no desire to undergo such torture. The last sentence in this group of words says it all for me: ‘So I refuse to give up, because God will never let me down.’
I have never felt that God expects anything of me; God loves me – that’s enough. The more comforting words here are:
‘The Lord God gives the right words to encourage the weary. Each morning he awakens me eager to learn his teaching he made me willing to listen and not rebel or run away.’
I think the words in italics appeal more to you and me, right? Of course, they do.
‘Where are you going with this?’ You ask. Well, for starters, I will ask you a question: ‘How many fellow believers you have met left you with the impression that whatever happens in their lives, they will never give up on God? I’m not expecting you to answer that question, but think about it, will you?
How many of us wake every morning eager to learn God’s teachings and refuse to turn away from anything God wants to do or say through us? I can say with an honest heart – I do. Why? Because I am deeply aware of God’s love for me and my love for God.
The writer of the above scripture felt the same. He knew that God loved him. He wrote those words because God told him to. I’m deeply grateful because it was words penned by writers like him and many others that saved me and, as a result, many others.
The writer allowed God to pen those words through him with Godly inspiration, which confirmed his standing in God, and because these words will live forever, many others will have their standing with God confirmed as well.
Therefore, as you and I read these words, we understand the real meaning of being ‘Born Again.’ We are enlightened to the fact that it is not by the utterance of scripture that we receive our salvation but rather that we begin a journey, the Spirit of God within us and being ‘baptized’ by the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross; freeing us to walk in God’s desire for our lives.[1]
We become like God because we are part of God through God’s Spirit. Our words are God’s words, our desire, God’s desire, our actions, God’s actions. We are: ‘Like Father like child.’
So, God will never let me down; God can’t let me down because I am part of God’s being. God does not need me ‘doing,’ just ‘being’ my being. You will notice that the writer never mentions having to ‘do’ anything for God,
But instead a longing to know God deeply: ‘…eager to learn his teaching; he made me willing to listen…’
The likeness of our relationship with God is seen in Genesis:
‘The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul.’[2]
Adam receives God’s Spirit, and he becomes part of God.[3]
‘So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.
The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones,
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.”
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.’[4]
Eve became part of God as she was ‘one flesh’ with Adam.[5]
Love and Blessings
Peter-James.
[1] John 3:3 Context: Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see the Kingdom of God.” (biblehub.com) [2] Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being. (biblehub.com) [3] Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (biblehub.com) [4] Genesis 2:21 Context: Yahweh God caused a deep sleep to fall on the man, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. (biblehub.com) [5] Genesis 2:24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. (biblehub.com)