Thursday, May 6th, 2009

Thursday, May 6th, 2009

Isaiah 51:6-7
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed. "Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool; but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations."

God here is asking me to leave my normal contemplations and our normal thoughts and take a trip with Him to see the divine reality. He tells me to gaze up into the heavens, and as it were, to contemplate their existence. How vast are they, how marvelous and amazing is God's handiwork. Yet these beautiful heavens, will one day vanish away into nothing, like smoke. These skies above, that seem to go on forever, and sometimes I think will last forever, will not.

Now, God is asking me to look at the earth that I dwell on. The earth, seems to go on forever, and when gazing upon the mountains, and huge boulders, that have been around for thousands of years, it seems so permanent. Yet, these things which seem so permanent to a creature such as me who will live more than likely less than a hundred years, will wear away, and wear out. God says that these will wear out just like a set of clothes that are worn frequently.

Next, God is asking me to think about all the creatures as well, people and animals. These that live in this earth will not live forever, these who dwell in this great and colossal earth will all die. Permanence cannot be found in anything temporal. All that we can touch, taste, smell, see and hear will either fade away or be destroyed. Nothing that we hold so dear will last.

So, this thought is a daunting one, and one that brings with it thoughts of anxiety and trouble. Yet, God tells me that there is something, nay, rather, someone who is permanent. Someone who makes what He does to be permanent. This someone is God Himself. He tells me that His salvation is forever, and because of His unchangeableness, His salvation that He has promised and sworn by an oath, which He cannot break, because God cannot lie, I know that it will never be broken. It is as sure as my existence right this very second.

Yet, God says to me that His righteousness will never be abolished or dismayed. God's promise, His truth, His hope cannot be stopped. It is sure and true and it is so because He said it.

However, this brings in another thought. This righteousness, which is tied to salvation in verse 8, is one that cannot be destroyed. This righteousness is none but the righteousness that is required of me to enter the rest of God. This righteousness and salvation that is spoken of is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. This righteousness, paid for by blood, and administered by His Holy Spirit, given in exchange for my wretched and awful sins, hardly a fair trade at all, in fact, an atrocity when viewed from fairness, will never be destroyed. No one can separate me from the love of God, neither trials, nor persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor peril, nor sword. Satan the great accuser of the brethren cannot make this righteousness that was imputed to me and received by faith alone, and that being a gift of God, go away. Oh, though he try, oh, though He buffet me and push me to despair, yet, the God of glory, the mighty Savior has given me this as a gift, and He will never take it back.

Thus, the next verse shows me that what God is saying that anyone who has been given a new Spirit, anyone who has been given this great salvation, and thus know the great righteousness of Jesus Christ that has been given them are immovable. Thus, I am immovable, my righteousness cannot be shaken. No matter what men try to do to me, they can offer up reproaches, they can attempt to make me be afraid, they can revile me, and say all manner of things against me, yet, I will not fear, no, I will not be dismayed. For the Lord Jesus Christ is my righteousness, I have God on my side, and thus, I will not fear.

For as God says in verse 8, the moth will eat men like they were unprotected clothes, and the just like the worm eats wool, the evil men who try to bring me to despair will be eaten. Yet, the righteousness that God gives, yes, even His righteousness and His salvation will never fail, this righteousness and salvation, the salvation of Jesus Christ who died on the cross and took my sins, and gave me His righteousness, will endure to all generations of people on this earth. Thus, it will last me till the day that I die, and then continue forever in eternity. Thus, I will spend all of my existence both now, and forever praising and extolling God, my King, my Lord, and my Life.

Oh, my Father, you who dwell in heaven, you who are far above me, you who live in the realms of glory. You who cannot look at sin, but punish it with righteousness and justice, terrible justice. You in your great and awesome mercy provided a way of escape for me from the wrath to come. For I, have broken your law, I have spurned your commands. Yes, I am utterly guilty before you. Oh, if you marked my sins, I would not survive. You provided a way of escape by offering your sinless Son Jesus Christ for my sins. Oh Jesus, you gave yourself freely, and bore all of the weight of my sins on that cross, for those three awful, terrible hours. You bore the infinite wrath of an infinite God. And yet, because you are infinite, you were able to bear that awful wrath. You are the victorious One. You bore that wrath, and came through it, you were resurrected from the grave, because death and the grave could not hold the Righteous One. And now, Jesus, you sent your Holy Spirit to me to convict me of my sin, to repent and rest in You. Oh, Holy Spirit, I thank you for the work that you wrought in my heart, the power by which you overcame me, and the grace which you showed me. I thank you oh Spirit, for your continued work in my heart. Forgive me for spurning it so much of the time. Help me to see your grace, to be ever mindful of your gentle leadings. Help me to run to you, and remember that your righteousness of salvation, your grace in the cross, and your hope will never fail. Though the sky and the earth, men, women, children and beasts will die and fade, yet, the power of the gospel will never fail. I am safe and sure in the precious arms of Jesus Christ, and it is there I rest today. Help me, oh God, today to not be consumed by the cares and troubles of the world. Help me to rest in the love that you have for me, and live in such a way that the watching world would know that I am yours, and you are mine. In Christ, Amen.