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Isaiah 51:16
I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand – I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, "You are my people"
Today’s Bible verse reminds us of the extraordinary splendor of God and affirms that we belong to Him as His people. I know we hear this in our Call to Worships on Sundays, we acknowledge it through confessions and moments of assurance, through sacraments of Baptism and Lord's Supper, and we sing such lyrics as "you are our God, We are your people." Yet, at times I wonder if who we are as "God's people" as his beloved really sinks in our thinking and believing.
In Isaiah 51:9–16, we read of God’s actions that reveal His “mighty arm” at work. The passage describes awe-inspiring deeds, prompting reflection on one’s relationship with God in a broader context by remembering His mighty acts, such as transforming the sea from a barrier into a pathway. It raises the question of whether we pause often enough to consider the power of our Creator and the access we have to this power as His worshippers.
I raise this question because in our passage we are reminded that even though God’s people were rescued, they still forgot and turned away from Him later. The Bible is real honest about God's people. The mighty acts of God, like a sea transformed from a barrier into a walkway, are remembered for a time, and then forgotten. We read that in moments of fear toward an oppressor or when faced with temptation, or some other obstacle or challenge, God's saving works are pushed aside. When the struggle gets real, God's people in the bible are described as those who lose sight of God's power, deeds and promises. Please know I am not being hard on the People of God described in scripture, because I know I’ve done that, more than once. How about you? Have there been times in your life when you’ve lost sight of God’s “mighty acts” and set aside His promises?
Compare the reactions of God’s people with our own tendencies to sometimes forget and turn away from God toward other things, in light of the final verse mentioned above. The God who set the heavens in place says, "You are my people". Do you hear that? We are not forgotten. What comfort is to be found when we realize that our Creator God says "I ... covered you with the shadow of my hand."
I raise this question because in our passage we are reminded that even though God’s people were rescued, they still forgot and turned away from Him later. The Bible is real honest about God's people. The mighty acts of God, like a sea transformed from a barrier into a walkway, are remembered for a time, and then forgotten. We read that in moments of fear toward an oppressor or when faced with temptation, or some other obstacle or challenge, God's saving works are pushed aside. When the struggle gets real, God's people in the bible are described as those who lose sight of God's power, deeds and promises. Please know I am not being hard on the People of God described in scripture, because I know I’ve done that, more than once. How about you? Have there been times in your life when you’ve lost sight of God’s “mighty acts” and set aside His promises?
Compare the reactions of God’s people with our own tendencies to sometimes forget and turn away from God toward other things, in light of the final verse mentioned above. The God who set the heavens in place says, "You are my people". Do you hear that? We are not forgotten. What comfort is to be found when we realize that our Creator God says "I ... covered you with the shadow of my hand."
LET'S PRAY
Lord, help us to remember your mighty works and to read and learn from your word the amazing promises you’ve made to your people. Keep us mindful of all you have done for us and remind us that we are always yours. Amen.
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