What A Privilege!

When you face trials who do you look to? When you are discouraged or defeated where do you look for strength? Where do you seek hope? With whom do you have alliance? These are questions I have after reading today’s passages. I really want to share what I found in my Life Application Study Bible:

Government: We rely on governmental legislation to protect the moral decisions we want made, but legislation cannot change people's hearts.

Science: We enjoy the benefits of science and technology. We look to scientific predictions and analysis before we look to the Bible.

Education: We act as though education and degrees can guarantee our future and success without considering what God plans for our future.

Medical Care: We regard medicine as the way to prolong life and preserve its quality-quite apart from faith and moral living.

Financial systems: We place our faith in financial "security" making as much money as we can for ourselves-forgetting that, while being wise with our money, we must trust God for our needs....

Our only hope is to trust in the one true God! There is no other security, no other protection, no other success.

One part of chapter 19 struck me as I read it.

“In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the heart of Egypt, and a monument to the LORD at its border. 20 It will be a sign and witness to the LORD Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the LORD because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them. 21 So the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge the LORD...”

As I read these verses my mind was brought to the chaos that has happened in Egypt recently. The turmoil sounds very similar to what is described at the beginning of chapter 19 as well. Egypt is mostly made up of Muslims but there will be a day when Jesus Christ will be their savior!



Chapter 20 was a very short chapter but had a big message. Isaiah was told to “Take off the sackcloth from your body and sandals from your feet.” He walked around naked for three years!
This demonstration was to show the humiliation that would occur to Egypt and Cush also a warning for Judah not to trust foreign governments. Putting their trust in foreign governments would only bring them shame and humiliation. They only needed God.

In chapter 22 Isaiah tried to warn his people to repent and trust in the Lord but they ignored the advice and put faith in their own strength, their weapons and their own plans for war. Ultimately they gave up hope and decided to indulge is a feast. The people of Judah did not trust God, so they had no hope. Do you have hope? Do you know who longs to have you call on Him for help? We have a very real savior, one who is God no matter what we do or think. We often waist so much energy on trying to make something work or trying to fix something. A sweet song comes to mind:

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,

Oh, what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged—

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful,

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Aretha Franklin - What a Friend We Have In Jesus