February 6, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“This is what the LORD says: ‘In the time of favor I will answer You. In the day of salvation, I will help You. I will keep You and appoint You to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land, to apportion its desolate inheritances, to say to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.‘” (Isaiah 49.8-9a)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

In one of his letters to the Corinthian Church, Paul included the words from Isaiah 49.8 and declared “Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!” (2 Corinthians 6.2b) One of the struggles I have as I read through the works of the prophet Isaiah is my own. I carry my angst concerning the nation of Israel (as I do for the United States of America) in parallel with the call of God for the Gentiles and the Church. It is easy to see the “favor of God” not being fulfilled yet for the nation and people of Israel because the prophecies presented as in Isaiah have not yet come to pass. Even with the declaration of the “State of Israel” in 1948 does not fit the full parameter of what God has promised in the return of the exiles. Was God simply addressing the restoration of the nation and people of Israel in the days of Isaiah and the prophets in relation to their return from the nations of Babylon, Assyria and Egypt? Or is there still a time that is coming when all the people of Israel shall dwell in one place on earth? And if so, will they grasp the purpose of that homecoming as twofold: worshipping God alone in spirit and in truth; abiding in righteousness being fully trusting in Him alone to be the evidence that there is but One God. It is not and cannot be the purpose of that “day of favor” to adjudicate and validate Israel’s personal understanding of being a nation above all others. They are called and set aside for a purpose to serve God by bringing the truth of spiritual prosperity to the whole of the earth. Is that what they are doing now? Is that what they believe? Are we not seeing in all actuality the crisis of a spiritual battle? I fear we are seeing Israel losing this battle because she has not surrendered herself fully to her own commissioning. I am perplexed and praying to God for wisdom on this because it has ramifications for us as the Church as for us as citizens of this nation we call home.

Are we not concerned for the fate of this nation? We are given a scriptural template in 2 Chronicles 7.14 by which to discern how “on target” are we. Yes, it is a word that was given to Israel. In truth, It is their truth which was given by God for the purpose of being the nation and people called Israel. It is no less a truth for all nations and people if their purpose is to live in a “season of favor.” Israel, as I understand it and teach it, is an exemplar for all nations. Not the Israel as it has become but the Israel as God intended. What nation on earth would rise up to meet such an exemplar today? What nation, especially this one in which we live, is manifesting the “way, truth and life” which has been shown to us in Jesus as the Christ? What does 2 Chronicles 7.14 say? “…if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.” What I see, more than anything else, is the accommodation of sin and the forsaking of righteousness across the land. What is being called “healing” is an adoption of entitlement and the empowering of decadence alongside the forsaking of the authentic definition of living fully and completely for God. Even the Church, I believe, is misrepresenting the gospel of grace in order to validate its existence in the world more so than its call to represent the Kingdom. Even now, as our own President, steps forward into fulfilling “his” promises of office, I do not hear the voice of God being spoken, listened to or promoted as “the way, the truth and the life.”

So, where does that bring us mighty ones of God? Are we called to stand as prophet and witness against the misrepresentations of the truth of “who we are to be in a season of favor”? The Church was called into existence to continue to mission of God where Israel fell short. I pray we can see that and see it clearly. The mission is not to make the world the Church. The mission is for the Church to bring the truth of living righteously before God and refuse the idea that there is another way to live apart from it. Yes, there are many ways and choices available in the world for people to choose from so they may have “a life.” What is “that life” that is being chosen? Does it meet the Kingdom standard? This is the place were we must begin to draw the lines of understanding because they will point in a most certain direction leading to or away from the intended destination. Are we being transparent in our pursuit of righteousness? Are we being unequivocal in our decision to live for God and God alone? We can read what God promises in His desire to redeem, reconcile and restore. We can pray and study on it as well. We must ask ourselves, most seriously, is this what God intended and are we truly being a part of it? Are we hearing the call to “come out” from the desolate places and to “show ourselves” in the light of God’s truth? If hearing it, are we obedient to it?

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness which we know is folly but righteous works which declare Your glory and further witness the truth that can set all who believe free from death. So may we live by the name of Jesus our Christ. AMEN.