2 timothy 4:7-8

I have some encouragement for you this morning.............

Isa 55:8	"My thoughts are completely different from yours," says the Lord. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
Isa 55:9	For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
Isa 55:10	"The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.
Isa 55:11	It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
Isa 55:12	You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!
Isa 55:13	Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where briers grew, myrtles will sprout up. This miracle will bring great honor to the Lord's name; it will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.

What a wonderful promise from God.  His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.  Isn't that awesome.  He is a God of perfection.  He is a God who knows what is best for us.  He is a God who keeps his promises.  His ways and thoughts are so much higher, righteous, and purer than ours.  And, through His son, Jesus, we can partake and be blessed by His thought and actions.  Isaiah goes on to say that His Word will go forth and produce much fruit.  He sends out His word just as he sends the rain upon the earth.  The King James version states His word "shall not return unto me void".  These are not empty promises.  They are full of life, hope, and love. 

When I think of His Word being poured out like rain.  I take a moment and think of rain storms and what they are like.  Some come quietly and leave without much disturbance.  Other rain storms are loud, frightening, and sometimes leave behind much damage.  However, after the storm comes the sun.  And, with the sun comes rich colors such as the green of the grass or red of flowers.  Birds sing their songs as they go about their business.  There is much good that comes from the storm all we need to do is survive it.  Such is life.  We need to survive the storms.  And, if we hold on to God's promises, the miracle of life with happen to us, too.

The people Ezra described didn't worship "just like nothing was wrong".  They worshipped because something was wrong.  Something was very wrong.  Yet, they continued to give honor to the One who was, is, and always will be.  Because they knew that one day the storm would end and then they would share in God's blessings.  The Israelites Ezra was speaking to had hope.  They had hope of rebuilding their lives, a city, and their temple.  But most of all, they had a hope in their God.  And, their God brought to them answers to their prayers which was the promises He had made to them concerning the end of their captivity.  This same God is the God of today.  He is the great I AM.  What He did then, he can do today.

Have a wonderful, hopefilled day.  May God bless you with His great love.

Debby