Isaiah 63:7-14 Steadfast Love
From the moment God called Abraham to Himself, He has had a steadfast love for Israel. Even though they rebelled, He STILL loved them.
I read ahead yesterday because this part drew me in. It is such a contrast to the section right before it. The reason for the major contrast is because Isaiah is speaking of two different people. Those who have rejected God are the previous group. Those who are God’s children are today’s group.
Notice in the middle of this love story how God says “He turned to be their enemy, and Himself fought against them” (verse 10b). But we also see that “In all their affliction He was afflicted” (verse 9a). This tells us that, even while He was disciplining them, He STILL loved them and NEVER lost sight of them.
God feels His children’s pain. He wants to take away that pain but He LOVES us SO MUCH that He will allow our pain to work its perfect work in us. I saw a Facebook meme the other day that referenced the country song “Jesus Take the Wheel” by Carri Underwood. It said that some of us need to take His flip flop off and give us a proper spanking instead. I certainly can’t disagree with that! He wants to correct us gently but when we don’t listen, a proper spanking is required to save us from destruction!
God does NOT ‘smack us around’ for fun. He disciplines us to save us from making a mess of our lives. He does not take back His salvation from us when we mess up. But neither does He let His children stay in areas of sin. He does whatever it takes to get our attention. Look what it took to get Israel’s attention!!!
Throughout ALL our lives with Him, He LOVES US COMPLETELY. He NEVER turns loose of His children. He NEVER repents of calling us either. Most of our interactions with Him are filled with demonstrations of that love that WE recognize as loving. The blessings. The times when we feel His presence. When we see His favor. When we simply sit with Him. These are all beautiful examples of our Father’s love. And I am grateful for EVERY MOMENT of them!
But I have come to realize that the times of discipline show even more love. He is NOT a ‘fair weather friend’. He doesn’t light out when things get tough. He stays with me through it all; including the hard times I get myself into. He helps me untangle the mess I’ve made.
I just had a memory triggered that speaks of this to me. I made my children some sturdy kites one year. We went to fly them across the street from our home in the football field of the collage we lived next to. All the kites were flying high and the kids were having fun. I told them not to let too much string out but you know children. I was helping my youngest, who was only four, most of the time. While I’m involved with the youngest, my middle son lets out a yelp. I asked him what was wrong and he said he couldn’t find his kite anymore. He thinks it landed on someone’s house across the road. I could have told him “I told you not to let it get so high” and told him he simply lost his kite. But I didn’t.
We brought all the other kites in and start following his string. My vision is FAR less than perfect so I had to have the children keep track of it for me. We crossed the street and started walking through the neighborhood. The string was hanging across power lines, trees, and even several rooftops. Finally, we find the place where his kite landed. The owner of the house brought it down for him but the string was a lost cause. We gathered up as much of it as we could but there was no getting it out of all those obstacles. What we did retrieve, I helped him untangle and reattach to his kite. He had a LOT shorter leash after that. And he listened the next time I told him not to let it get too high. By the way, it went over two city blocks from where we were, including the full football field! That kite could fly!
No matter how far I go astray, God will walk me back home and help me pick up what ‘string’ I can. He will help me ‘untangle’ it and make sure I’ve learned from the lesson, so as not to repeat that one again.
Father God, THANK YOU for ALL the blessings You have brought about in my life. THANK YOU for all the times I’ve felt Your presence in ALL the different places; quiet times, busy times, praise times, and troubled times. THANK YOU for ALL the times You helped me ‘chase down my kite’ when it got away from me. THANK YOU for ALWAYS bringing me back to You. And for helping me learn from each of those ‘chases’. Thank You for the beautiful memories I have of my children that You can use to teach me even a little bit more. I LOVE YOU Lord and I can’t imagine my life without You! I don’t even want to try and imagine it!!!
Lead on Holy Spirit. I will do my best to follow and I will trust You to get me back on track when I wander off, or fly my kite too high.
