Highly esteemed by God!
Scripture reading for August 2nd: Isaiah 63-66?
Our culture values material wealth very highly. We love to look at the holdings of the extravagantly rich and imagine what it would be like if we could live in that luxury. We also value those with talents or abilities that make them famous. We think that we need to be rich or famous to be noticed in the world. But God looks at something else!
God owns the universe and everything in it has come from His gracious hand. (Isaiah 66:1) The God who made us and all creation has something that He esteems and values highly. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My word.” (Isaiah 65:2b) God values the humble and teachable. He cares deeply for those who value His word and rewards those who honor it!
God promises that the enemies of those who fear Him will be repaid. (Isaiah 66:5-6) He will come with fire and destroy those who have opposed His people. (Isaiah 66:15-16) God promises that those who love Him and Jerusalem will find joy and satisfaction when God delivers Jerusalem and brings in the age of peace! (Isaiah 66:10-12) They will enjoy a “new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 66:22) that will endure forever along with the righteous and their descendants! When God’s people tremble at His word, they can have confidence. Their faith enables them to wait on the Lord and live quiet and godly lives. (Isaiah 30:15) (Isaiah 40: 31) Their strength will be renewed and they finish their race with joy and expectation!
The last words of Isaiah tell how the esteemed of God will see the punishment of the wicked. “And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against Me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.” (Isaiah 66:24) I am so thankful that through faith in Jesus Christ, I am now “highly esteemed” by God! What a blessing it is that Jesus was broken and trembled at the Word of God! He offered His life for mine so I can escape this punishment! What a gracious God we serve!
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