Come Home

Saturday, February 18, 2012
Pray: 
Heavenly Father, I come eager to be with You today and be in Your warm, welcoming and loving presence.
Read: 
ISAIAH 55:1-13

[1] "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. [2] Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. [3] Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. [4] See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples. [5] Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor." [6] Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. [7] Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. [8] "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. [9] "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. [10] As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, [11] so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. [12] You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. [13] Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed."

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Reflect: 
What caution from God do we read here?

These words are first prophesied as an invitation and promise to God's people in exile. The people had walked away from their relationship with God and ultimately lost everything, including their homeland. The glorious days of King David were history, but God reached out to them inviting them into genuine relationship again with promises of mercy and forgiveness. He offered to bring their weary, wandering souls back to life (3), urging them to turn away from lifestyles that had alienated them from him (6,7). He offers a renewed relationship and covenant blessings; he reminds them that he is still God, bigger than they could ever comprehend, and still powerful enough to restore them.

When did you last wander away from the Lord? When did you last squander your attention, priorities and time on things that could never satisfy? Perhaps there are parts of your life where you've lived on your own terms, and now you're hungry for something more. In place of our exiled wanderings, God offers us relationship, purpose and freedom. He calls us to respond to his invitation; let him into every single part of your life, without exception.

Apply: 
Do you need to respond to God's invitation to seek a deeper relationship, and let God into every part of your life?
Pray: 
Lord, I'm so thankful You want to have a close relationship with me. Show me what I need to do to have it.
Through the Bible In One Year: 
Leviticus 10-12 / Acts 7

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