March 30, 2011

DID YOU SAY "THANK YOU" TODAY?

Isaiah 63

Dunni Ogundipe
Wednesday's Devo

March 30, 2011

Wednesday's Devo

March 30, 2011

Central Truth

It is important for all Christians to praise and give thanks continually to God, regardless of their current situation.

Key Verse | Isaiah 63:7–8

I shall make mention of the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, the praises of the LORD,
According to all that the LORD has granted us,
And the great goodness toward the house of Israel,
Which He has granted them according to His compassion
And according to the abundance of His lovingkindnesses.
For He said, "Surely, they are My people,
Sons who will not deal falsely."
So He became their Savior.
(Isaiah 63:7-8)

Isaiah 63

The LORD's Day of Vengeance

Who is this who comes from Edom,
    in crimsoned garments from Bozrah,
he who is splendid in his apparel,
    marching in the greatness of his strength?
“It is I, speaking in righteousness,
    mighty to save.”

Why is your apparel red,
    and your garments like his who treads in the winepress?

“I have trodden the winepress alone,
    and from the peoples no one was with me;
I trod them in my anger
    and trampled them in my wrath;
their lifeblood 1 63:3 Or their juice; also verse 6 spattered on my garments,
    and stained all my apparel.
For the day of vengeance was in my heart,
    and my year of redemption 2 63:4 Or the year of my redeemed had come.
I looked, but there was no one to help;
    I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold;
so my own arm brought me salvation,
    and my wrath upheld me.
I trampled down the peoples in my anger;
    I made them drunk in my wrath,
    and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”

The LORD's Mercy Remembered

I will recount the steadfast love of the LORD,
    the praises of the LORD,
according to all that the LORD has granted us,
    and the great goodness to the house of Israel
that he has granted them according to his compassion,
    according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
For he said, “Surely they are my people,
    children who will not deal falsely.”
    And he became their Savior.
In all their affliction he was afflicted, 3 63:9 Or he did not afflict
    and the angel of his presence saved them;
in his love and in his pity he redeemed them;
    he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

10  But they rebelled
    and grieved his Holy Spirit;
therefore he turned to be their enemy,
    and himself fought against them.
11  Then he remembered the days of old,
    of Moses and his people. 4 63:11 Or Then his people remembered the days of old, of Moses
Where is he who brought them up out of the sea
    with the shepherds of his flock?
Where is he who put in the midst of them
    his Holy Spirit,
12  who caused his glorious arm
    to go at the right hand of Moses,
who divided the waters before them
    to make for himself an everlasting name,
13      who led them through the depths?
Like a horse in the desert,
    they did not stumble.
14  Like livestock that go down into the valley,
    the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest.
So you led your people,
    to make for yourself a glorious name.

Prayer for Mercy

15  Look down from heaven and see,
    from your holy and beautiful 5 63:15 Or holy and glorious habitation.
Where are your zeal and your might?
    The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion
    are held back from me.
16  For you are our Father,
    though Abraham does not know us,
    and Israel does not acknowledge us;
you, O LORD, are our Father,
    our Redeemer from of old is your name.
17  O LORD, why do you make us wander from your ways
    and harden our heart, so that we fear you not?
Return for the sake of your servants,
    the tribes of your heritage.
18  Your holy people held possession for a little while; 6 63:18 Or They have dispossessed your holy people for a little while
    our adversaries have trampled down your sanctuary.
19  We have become like those over whom you have never ruled,
    like those who are not called by your name.

Footnotes

[1] 63:3 Or their juice; also verse 6
[2] 63:4 Or the year of my redeemed
[3] 63:9 Or he did not afflict
[4] 63:11 Or Then his people remembered the days of old, of Moses
[5] 63:15 Or holy and glorious
[6] 63:18 Or They have dispossessed your holy people for a little while

Dive Deeper | Isaiah 63

After I read this verse, I asked myself: How frequently have I reflected on what the Lord has done for me without asking for anything in return? He has blessed me so many times and answered so many prayers, but I realized that I have not acknowledged His gifts nearly enough. This passage made me think for a moment about how much the LORD gives to me.

I often find it hard to wrap my mind around the idea of giving so freely, completely without reservation or qualifiers. I am admittedly extremely selfish at times (something I'm trying to grow out of), but even the oldest and wisest people I know are not completely selfless. Who is the only completely selfless being in the universe? God.

Every time I think of this verse it stuns me, not only because of the generous nature of His blessings, but also the pure "abundance of His lovingkindnesses." The LORD simply never stops giving to us! But why aren't we thankful more often?

The truth is we often take God's gifts for granted. As soon as He answers one of our prayers, another request takes its place. God, as our Father, wants us to come to Him with all our needs. The LORD never forgets about us or fails us. He never forgets to bless us, love us, and care for us. But we do. We all are called to be like Him, to love Him and emulate His ways, so why is it so hard to thank the LORD continually for what He does for us?

We cannot take the LORD for granted and forget to tell the world about His kindness. We forget to "make mention of the lovingkindnesses of the LORD" -- something every Christian has trouble with at one point or another. We forget to thank Him for the undeserved shower of blessings that we receive on a regular basis. Yet, God continually pours His blessings over us and shows His love to us in more ways than anyone could count. I, for one, do not want to "deal falsely" with Him. I want to continually sing His praises.

Discussion Questions

1. When was the last time you sat and praised God without asking for anything in return?

2. Think about the distractions in your life that prevent you from giving thanks more often. What are they, and how can you remove their influence on you?

3. Why do you think it is important to remember to give thanks and praise to God?

WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY

ISAIAH 61-65 (MAR 28-APR 1)

Read Isaiah 61:1-3.

Who is this passage about? Go read Luke 4:18-21. How great is that!

What did Jesus come to do?

Activity: Family Relay
Needed Items: hat, cup of vegetable oil, and a sweat suit.
(The hat represents a crown of gladness; the cup of vegetable oil, oil of gladness; the sweat suit, garment of praise.) Put on the hat and the sweat suit, and carry the oil as you run to and around a tree in your front yard. Run back and have the next family members in order put on the hat and sweat suit and carry the oil as they run around the tree and back. Repeat until everyone has run. Time yourselves and see how quickly you can do it.

After the activity: Discuss how God's grace is a crown of beauty, forgiveness is an oil of gladness, and salvation is a garment of praise.