Devotion - December 3, 2014 Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down! Isaiah 64:1 The poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote “‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said; ‘For hate is strong, and mocks the song of peace on earth, good-will to men!’” Undoubtedly, each of us has shared those feelings at some point. Death rips away a loved one. Family strife spoils holiday festivities. Conflict at work leaves us bitter. Even remote world events can suddenly shatter our peace. We call out to God, “Rend the heavens, O Lord, and come down. Put an end to the hatred and wickedness. ‘Come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you’ (Isaiah 64:2).” But where would that leave you and me? If the Holy One lays bare our hearts and exposes every thought, attitude, motive, and emotion, how could we endure his coming? For you see, “all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf and like the wind our sins sweep us away” (Isaiah 64:6). If wrong shall fail and right prevail, where does that leave sinners like you and me? All human ingenuity and effort leaves only false hope or despair. Instead, we join Isaiah and say to the Lord God, “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you who acts on behalf of those who wait for him” (Isaiah 64:4). And what did our God do? He rent the heavens and came down, but not in power and glory. He came as a little baby. The Father sent his Son to become one of us. Jesus is Emmanuel, “God with us.” He carried our filth to the cross. There the Lord of glory died for you and me. Who could have ever imagined that? But God has revealed it through his Word. The Father raised his Son from the dead so that we may believe that Jesus is the Lord our Savior. Jesus wore our filthy rags. Through faith in him we have his clean clothes, his right record. Clothed with his righteousness, we wait for him. He will rend the heavens once more, this time in power and glory. He will destroy this present world and bring us who are waiting for him into his new creation. Prayer: O Savior, keep me ever faithful and patient until you rend the heavens and come down. Amen. Todays Devotion is brought to you by WELS and WhatAboutJesus
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 14:54:05 +0000
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