1. "Trust in God, alone, return to Him because only He can save you." I often wonder what my life would be like if I could remember to trust Him for every single thing that I need or desire. How many times have I forgotten this??? Maybe that's why it's immediately followed by the thought of returning to Him because only He can save me. (anybody else put a "from yourself" on the end of that?) I'm my own worst enemy most days. I'm so thankful for His patience and discipline. Yes, discipline.
2. "All wrongs will be made right." and "Complacent women, be forewarned...judgement is coming." My children memorized these lines of poetry for school while studying the Chronicles of Narnia: "Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight, at the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more. When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death, and when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again." I love to study those parallels! ...but that's for another day. And the reminder that we are sometimes a bit toooooo comfy in our lives is always welcomed for me. I've shared before how I strive to avoid any pain at all, and will go to great lengths to be comfortable at all times. I must remember that judgement is coming, and I have a job to do. Don't we all?
3. "Distress and cries for help are usually followed by promises of joy for the redeemed." Now that's a promise you can take to the bank! I've made notes in the margin for all those times that distress and bondage came to the people of God. He has always come through for His people, and always will. The hard part is that we don't know how! I remember the Daniel Bible Study with Beth Moore. She said that there are three ways we are delivered when placed in the fire.....delivered from the fire (usually a miraculous circumstance), delivered through the fire (a long battle that ends victoriously) , or delivered by the fire (taken from this place, straight to Heaven). I found these to be very true. Whatever He has promised He will do. And, He has promised to care for you. He hears your cries, and sees your distress. Rest assured, it does not go unnoticed.
Now, keep reading Isaiah, I know the Lord will honor your efforts!
No Jaybrena, we will not think less of you spiritually because you are struggling with this book. I think we all struggle with this books and others. We are not Bible scholars, we are women who is committed to reading and putting our thoughts out there. I enjoy reading everyone's post and there are times when I say to myself, "why can't I understand and write as good as the rest of you?" Let me just take the time now to say to all of you that I think you are doing a wonderful job and I want to be just like all of you when I grow up.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ms. Boots! This is a hard book! I only remember studying and reading those beautiful passages at Christmas about "a virgin shall conceive" . . . and didn't realize there was so much more . . You did a great job Jaybrena, and I love your honesty - it makes the rest of us "fess up" as well.
ReplyDelete"Streams in the desert" kept leaping out at me today though. Just picture it (and there's a song about that too) - and sometimes God gives us streams in our deserts as well. Let's press on - we are all learning together!!
You are not alone Jaybrena. I am struggling through this book too. You did a GREAT job! As I read your #3 point I thought about a recent thing that happened to me. My family and I were traveling on the interstate at 75 mph when our tire blew out. The suburban shook violently as my husband guided it to the side of the road. All I could think was "Oh God what are you about to make me go through?" I called His name and prayed for my four children (three who slept through the whole thing). That day I feel like we were delivered from the fire - Praise God!
ReplyDelete"Trust in God, alone, return to Him because ONLY He can save you."
I'm so glad to hear that my friends are with me!!! :) Isn't it amazing how He speaks to us, right where we are?!?! ....How the most learned theologians can be just as challenged as the newest believer in this study!?! Oh, how I love His word.
ReplyDeleteJaybrena, when we started Isaiah, I took a deep breath and vowed just to plow ahead hoping God would give me SOMETHING to share! It's a deep book, and I'm going to go on record as saying that I'm a little afraid of Jeremiah and Ezekiel...and maybe the rest of the Old Testament, if I'm honest! God always comes through, and He certainly did through you today! A great post as always! It really is so fun going through this with all of you. And, I couldn't help but think of Aslan as we read the verses "As a lion growls, a great lion over it's prey- and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against him, he is not frightened by their shouts or disturbed by their clamor- so the Lord Almighty will come down and do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights. Like birds hovering overhead, the Lord Almighty will shield Jerusalem; he will shield it and deliver it, he will 'pass over' it and will rescue it." Funny that we both ended up thinking of Narnia today!
ReplyDeleteLadies...you all are just awesome and amazing!!! I just admire the honesty and the desire to press on! And I agree with the other ladies Jaybrena...you did a GREAT job with these chapters!!! Thanks for the reminder about "the fire" from the Beth Moore "Daniel" study Jaybrena. I did that study as well and that really sunk in with me too. Whichever way God decides for it to go, we win in the end! And that is just SO peace-giving!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mindy..."awesome and amazing." You all keep things so real and relevant. I have only been able to get on the Bible study blog once or twice a week lately due to school schedules. But I am reading right along with you. Isaiah has been more of a challenge for me lately. Like Boots nicely said-we are committed to reading the Bible and sharing our ideas. I have gained so much wisdom and insight from all of you. Thank you for sharing your life and journey with us.
ReplyDeleteI too have struggled with this book. Sometimes I find myself reading and think, "I have no idea what this means." As I read, I hope and trust that God will reveal just one nugget that I can take away or blog about :) He has kept his promise that His word will not return void. I have to admit that I start getting nervous though when I'm nearing the end of a reading and have not understood anything (yet)!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jaybrena for sharing your heart. I think it's a great reminder to all of us to keep plugging along and that other translations can help our understanding. Great idea about using a children's Bible!