Text: Isaiah 43:1-7
But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
4 Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
peoples in exchange for your life.
5 Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.
6 I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the end of the earth,
7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
If we know the Lord has created us intentionally, creatively, and perfectly – how does that affect how we live today? How does it affect how we love others and serve the world around us?
Is there anything to fear when He has promised to be with us and keep us safe? Do we trust God’s definition of safe? Is there any part of your life or season that you’re not believing He was with you or will be with you? Ask Him to change that belief in your heart.
Sit in the idea that you were bought with a price for a moment. How does that shift your day?
The last two years have been a whirlwind as a relationship ended yet it has been hard for me to move on and feel peace about it all. Recently I have been in place of loneliness and my trust in God and where He has me right now has made me weary. I so desire to be out of this so called "desert", for my heart to finally fully heal, for new relationships to be cultivated, and pure joy in Christ to come back into my life. I humbly ask for prayer ladies, which is so hard to ask. I desire what Psalm 143:10 says, for God to teach me to do His will.
Ang,
You are in good company! King David asked the same thing and it is a prayer that the Lord delights to answer! And not only David, but our Lord prayed the same thing in the garden, " not my will but Thine be done".
Sherill, while you are waiting for God…..try to remember that He has a perfect plan for you and that includes a wonderful relationship. He put that dream in your heart. I also understand that loneliness and something that helps me keep from being impatient in the waiting is that I want the very BEST that God has for me! In the meantime, I pray daily that God would search my heart, hold my hand with each and every step, direct me the way I should go and help me to be the very best version of me that I can be. In other words….I want to be the person that I'm looking for is looking for……make sense?
Catherine,
I think you meant your reply for someone else. Maybe you could reread the comments and see who you meant it for; it was a good reply though. I’m married and have been for many years, and happily so, I might add.
Sherrill, It was meant for Ang. I was replying under your comment. Hadn't had enough coffee. Forgive my mistake. I think most people would read through my mistake, but I can't correct it. I am sure no one would think my comments were for you.
Oh, dear!I just reread my post and saw a big mistake! I mistyped; where I typed " the Holy One….isn't" , it should have been " our SAVIOUR." A big error…forgive, please!
This Scripture was a bit difficult for me to apply to myself, as when I read it, I see God only speaking to His people, Israel. In verses 5–6 I see His promise to bring Israel back from different parts of the earth into the land of Israel. However, when I look beyond that, then I can see Him speaking to me as an individual, especially in vv 1–Your Creator, formed you, Redeemed you. He says that He will be with me/ us in all kind of fearsome situations He tells us that He…the Holy One…isn't Saviour!! And at the last, that we who have been called by His Name have been created for His glory! That is staggering!
How can I live for His glory this day? I have been bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus; I am not my own. When I reflect on these things, it causes me to want to please Him in thought, word and deed. " Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemed".
I had a very similar thought, Sherrill, but then I got to the bit about God bringing back his sons from afar and his daughters from the end of the earth, "everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made". That's got to include us!
Perfect timing with these verses. It hit me last night that while I may fill inadequate for this job he has given me. He chose me. He has a purpose. I need to trust in him. That he has in under control. That while I may feel inadequate. He is not. And he is with me. He won't leave me to do this on my own. He's going with me.
I love this! I decided to try out new versions of this passage to see different wording, and the Complete Jewish Bible said something beautiful in verse 7:
"everyone who bears my name,
whom I created for my glory —
I formed him, yes, I made him.’”
I formed him, yes, I made him. In times where I wonder if I am right or wrong, or where my life is headed or how it will be, I remember that wording: that He formed me, yes, He created me. It really just speaks to me in that He will hold my Right hand, and what's more, my life will only be truly beautiful and meaningful because of that hand-holding.
"Do we trust God’s definition of safe?
See, this is what I have trouble with. trusting God's definition of safe. It's not always hard for me to believe He is with me, don't know why. But do I trust His definition of safe? I must be honest and say, "Not always." but He loves me! do i trust my husband's definition of safe for me? Yes, i do. so why can't I trust god's, who loves me so much more than even my husband ever could? Whoa! lots to think about today. thanks, sisters.
Meditating on the idea that because of Jesus I can rest assured that I am worthy of love and worthy to love. These were perfect verses for the stressful season I’ve been experiencing. It’s good to be reminded that He won’t let the rushing waters sweep me away!
My jaw dropped when I saw this title I knew exactly what scripture you were going over today.. I’ve been caught on this scripture for the past week. God has been building on it daily during my time with Him, but always using the words you highlighted in the title as a basis. Such key words to really saturate ourselves with. One other word (that’s at least in my version) is summoned. We are each summoned by God to a purposeful calling for His glory. That is the perfect order, Created, Formed, Redeemed, and Summoned. That is all our story, by Jesus.
Just thought I would share that my hearts been in the same place!
Love what you said here: " That is perfect order, Created, Formed, Redeemed and Summoned." It is beautiful, isn't it!