Rooted and Built Up!
Reflection: Isaiah, the prophet, tells the people that God is doing a great
thing even in the midst of their present calamity. Though they don’t completely understand why
they are being punished, Isaiah comforts them with words of prophecy, namely
that God’s Word will never return void.
Just as the rain and snow come down from heaven and water the earth
making all things green, so God’s Word comes and renews the earth and gives it
its spiritual source of refreshment. And the result is that the people will go
out in joy and be led forth in peace!
9 “As
the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.”
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.”
Notice too
all the covenant language in this Isaiah passage. God had made an everlasting with His people
through King David that He would rule forever and His line would have no end. Though their present conditions were not very
good, God’s “steadfast love” (Hebrew=hesed) would always remain and God would
never fail to carry out His purposes in and through them. This is where Paul in Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that God’s works all things
together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His
purpose.”
Of course,
we can’t always figure out why God is doing what He is doing. Notice the
phrase, “My ways are higher than your
ways.” We like to be in control and
even control God, but we can’t. God does
things in His timing and His way in order that we would surrender control and
fully trust in Him. This is why we
always need to have a “long view” of things.
Often in the midst of trials, we wonder why God is doing something and
then over time we see His grand plan.
Someone has likened this to a tapestry that is woven together. On the underside it is all knotty (our
lives!), but when you turn it over it is a beautiful work of art.
Then Paul
ends with this passage in Colossians, which is really too good to pass
over. It is a perfectly distilled
message about what the Christian life is all about.
6 So
then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in
him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as
you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 See to it
that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which
depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world
rather than on Christ. 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the
Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been
brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.
Notice the
dual nature of justification/sanctification.
As we have received Jesus by faith and are justified by what God has
done for us through Him on the cross (justification), notice Paul says, “continue
to live your lives in him.” (sanctification) In verses 1:28-29, Paul says his purpose in
life is that he might proclaim Christ so that everyone can be presented in
Christ in full maturity. He uses the
words “perfect and complete and lacking in nothing”.
We start the
Christian life by receiving the free gift of salvation by faith as we hear the
word and are baptized and we continue in this life by being rooted and built up in Him. I
like those words rooted and built up! We
are rooted by our faith in Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit, which is
like a tether that keeps us near God’s promises. And we are continually built up (or edified)
by being fed by God’s word and in the fellowship of other brothers and sisters
in Christ (the Church).
This is
basically why I am do this Daily Bread because it helps me to stay rooted and
built up and my prayer is that it will help you too! Modern technology has helped us to do this
over the internet much like in Luther’s day technology helped him disseminate
the Word of God through the advent of the printing press.
I pray that
in your corner of the world today you might be rooted and built up in Christ,
so that you can withstand the prevailing philosophies of the day which are
always looking to minimize who Jesus is, and what He has done for us! As we keep our lives centered on Him and on
the cross, we will grow to maturity in Christ and fulfill our purpose as
believers set apart by and for Him! So
friends, continue your life in Him and rooted and built up through His Word and
Promises! Amen.
Psalm 89:30-37
30 “If his sons forsake my law
and do not follow my statutes,
31 if they violate my decrees
and fail to keep my commands,
32 I will punish their sin with the rod,
their iniquity with flogging;
33 but I will not take my love from him,
nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.
34 I will not violate my covenant
or alter what my lips have uttered.
35 Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
and I will not lie to David—
36 that his line will continue forever
and his throne endure before me like the sun;
37 it will be established forever like the moon,
the faithful witness in the sky.”
and do not follow my statutes,
31 if they violate my decrees
and fail to keep my commands,
32 I will punish their sin with the rod,
their iniquity with flogging;
33 but I will not take my love from him,
nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.
34 I will not violate my covenant
or alter what my lips have uttered.
35 Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
and I will not lie to David—
36 that his line will continue forever
and his throne endure before me like the sun;
37 it will be established forever like the moon,
the faithful witness in the sky.”
Isaiah 54,55
The Future
Glory of Zion
54 “Sing, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband,”
says the Lord.
2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.
3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your descendants will dispossess nations
and settle in their desolate cities.
you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband,”
says the Lord.
2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.
3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your descendants will dispossess nations
and settle in their desolate cities.
4 “Do not be afraid; you will not
be put to shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth
and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
5 For your Maker is your husband—
the Lord Almighty is his name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
he is called the God of all the earth.
6 The Lord will call you back
as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,
only to be rejected,” says your God.
7 “For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
8 In a surge of anger
I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,”
says the Lord your Redeemer.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth
and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
5 For your Maker is your husband—
the Lord Almighty is his name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
he is called the God of all the earth.
6 The Lord will call you back
as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,
only to be rejected,” says your God.
7 “For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
8 In a surge of anger
I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,”
says the Lord your Redeemer.
9 “To me this is like the days of
Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.
So now I have sworn not to be angry with you,
never to rebuke you again.
10 Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.
So now I have sworn not to be angry with you,
never to rebuke you again.
10 Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
11 “Afflicted city, lashed by storms
and not comforted,
I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise,
your foundations with lapis lazuli.
12 I will make your battlements of rubies,
your gates of sparkling jewels,
and all your walls of precious stones.
13 All your children will be taught by the Lord,
and great will be their peace.
14 In righteousness you will be established:
Tyranny will be far from you;
you will have nothing to fear.
Terror will be far removed;
it will not come near you.
15 If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing;
whoever attacks you will surrender to you.
I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise,
your foundations with lapis lazuli.
12 I will make your battlements of rubies,
your gates of sparkling jewels,
and all your walls of precious stones.
13 All your children will be taught by the Lord,
and great will be their peace.
14 In righteousness you will be established:
Tyranny will be far from you;
you will have nothing to fear.
Terror will be far removed;
it will not come near you.
15 If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing;
whoever attacks you will surrender to you.
16 “See, it is I who created the
blacksmith
who fans the coals into flame
and forges a weapon fit for its work.
And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc;
17 no weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the Lord.
who fans the coals into flame
and forges a weapon fit for its work.
And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc;
17 no weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the Lord.
Isaiah 55
Invitation
to the Thirsty
55 “Come, all you who are
thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and you will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me;
listen, that you may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.
4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
a ruler and commander of the peoples.
5 Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations you do not know will come running to you,
because of the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor.”
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and you will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me;
listen, that you may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.
4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
a ruler and commander of the peoples.
5 Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations you do not know will come running to you,
because of the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor.”
6 Seek the Lord while he may be
found;
call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
8 “For my thoughts are not your
thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.”
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.”
Colossians
1:28-2:10
All Passages Take from the New
International Version (NIV)
28 He is the one we proclaim,
admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present
everyone fully mature in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously
contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.
I want you
to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all
who have not met me personally. 2 My goal is that they may be
encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches
of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God,
namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may
deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5 For though I am
absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how
disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
Spiritual
Fullness in Christ
6 So then, just as you received
Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted
and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and
overflowing with thankfulness. 8 See to it that no one takes
you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human
tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on
Christ. 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in
bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to
fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.
Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God. Genesis 3:8
For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light. Luke 8:17
Lord, we may think we have the best place to hide from you: in a bottle, with an addiction, mountain slope, or a crowed city street, but you know where all the good and not-so-good hiding places are. Lord, find us again. Amen
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