Happy New Year, 2011

What are your plans for the new year? Are you setting personal goals such as exercising more, eating healthy, or studying the Bible more intentionally? The list of potential goals and resolutions can be long and full of good intentions.

In fact, there are many great things that we can strive for and they will surely enrich our lives as we see new disciplines developed. At the top of my list is memorizing scripture in 2011. I’ll be participating with Living Proof Ministries as posted on their blog page recently. I even ordered their handy-dandy, spiral bound booklet full of blank index cards ready to be filled with scriptures ... 24 of them ... as I memorize two verses each month.

By the way, you can learn more about this Siesta Scripture Memory Team by visiting the Living Proof Ministry blog entry at http://blog.lproof.org/2010/12/my-fun-little-siesta-surprise.html

So, anyway, I’m beginning with Isaiah 30: 20-21 (I know that’s 2 verses but they just seem to be inseparable) and these verses say ....

Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, Your Teacher, will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it.” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

This passage refers to a time following the judgment because of Israel’s disobedience in which God opened their eyes once again to the sound teaching of the prophets but I think there is application for us today ~ as believers who have the living God within us in the person of the Holy Spirit ... our resident Teacher.

Sometimes, life can be so very difficult and we do indeed experience the “bread of privation and water of oppression”. Sometimes life just gets tough and it hurts! It may be something of our own doing which causes difficult consequences (like the Israelites in this passage) or it may be something that is totally beyond our control. Something that sovereign God allows into our life to refine us, mold us, teach us, shape us.

The point is ... don’t give up on God. He loves you and He loves me ... He longs to walk with us every step of the way ... in the difficulty and the ease of living.

Maybe we just need the reminder and the assurance that God has not forgotten us. This verse reminds me that He is my Teacher, my Guide, the Ever-Constant in my journey. One thing is for certain and that one thing is that I long to seek Him and find Him in the midst of whatever I am experiencing and, He promises that as I seek Him, He will be found ... gotta keep pressing in!

So, let me retype the verses now with some simple thoughts added because I don’t think it’s enough to just memorize scripture ... there must be some understanding of what it means ... of how it can apply to my right now moments ....

Although the Lord (the sovereign Ruler over all) has given you bread of privation and water of oppression (what difficulty or uncertainty is happening in my life right now ~ could it be the sovereign allowing of it in my life?), He, Your Teacher, (the Lord Himself, indwelling) will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher (seek and He will be found ~ Jer. 29:13). Your ears will hear a word behind you “This is the way, walk in it.” (the promise of divine guidance, divine direction). whenever you turn to the right or to the left (at all times; in all circumstances).

Puts a fresh perspective on this old testament passage for me ... so my prayer is this ... not just for me but for you ....

Ah Lord, we don’t know what this new year holds; what joy, what heartache, what laughter and tears, what indecisions or lack of clarity, but this we do know ... You ~ Holy, Sovereign, Loving, Faithful God ~ will supply all of our needs! And we rest assured that everything that touches Your beloved child will have been filtered through Your loving council and Your perfect will for our lives.

2011, as all other years since the dawn of time, belongs to You ~ Ruler of all that is! You are timeless, eternal. Let Your will be perfectly formed in us, day by day, as we walk into the unknowns of this new year.

In Jesus Name!

Blessings to you for a wonderful 2011 ~ full of God’s grace and never-ending mercy!
Cindy K
cindyrkessler@gmail.com