Guilty of being an Israelite

The last few months have proved quite challenging for me on several levels. I don't need to go into details, but suffice it to say, I've been really miserable. Part of that was a function of my health and circumstances beyond my control, but part of it was of my own making.

As I started off the new year, I decided I simply MUST get back in the Word. I went back to pick up my Bible reading right where I left off, and would you believe the chapter I was on?? Isaiah 30. You can't appreciate this post till you go read the chapter for yourselves. So, stop a minute and peruse the chapter. When you do, you will see that it was God's mercy to me that this chapter was the chapter I came back to.

In this chapter, the children of God are at it again (oh those wonderful Israelites who are a picture of, well, ME). They are refusing to find their shelter and refuge in God, but instead are going to EGYPT of all places for their shelter. (I could stop and ponder the stupidity of that choice all day). But I had to stop at the first verse and ask myself some really hard questions, and I realize I'm guilty of finding my shelter in Egypt. How often do we RUN to ourselves or to the things that we think will ease our pain to realize we are finding shelter in the very places that cause us the most bondage?

I didn't even get past the first verse before realizing. . . GUILTY. I'm guilty of being an Israelite. But here's what I love. As God began to unfold for me where my misery has been coming from, we got to the good part: how to fix it. I was waiting for some LIST I needed to do. All these things I needed to do to make things right. But instead I get to this verse, "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength." "The Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you."

And I realized the answer is actually pretty simple. Return, rest, trust, be quiet, and WAIT. God will be gracious. He will be merciful. He's waiting to be that way! He's anxious to have mercy on us.

"And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher." "The Lord binds up the brokenness of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow."

All I can say is WOW, and I'm just sitting here this morning marveling in GRACE.