Isaiah 58:11
The Lord will
guide you always;
he will satisfy
your needs in a sun-scorched land
and strengthen
your frame.
You will be like
a well-watered garden,
like a spring
whose waters never fail.
My husband's Grandpa sent this verse in
a birthday card for me. How fitting. It is just exactly the truth
from God's Word that I need to dwell on. Meditate on.
These days, sometimes, well actually if
I am being completely honest, most of the time, I feel a bit like I'm
running on empty. With four children and husband, the day is rarely
just mine. Ha, I say rarely, but really I mean never. But I know that
this is not unique to me. There are plenty of other mothers, sisters,
wives, grandmas, friends out there who daily feel like they have
nothing left to give. They feel spent. Tired. Just like me. Why is it
then that I can feel isolated?
I have just recently begun reading Real
Moms... Real Jesus: Meet the Friend Who Understands. I had seen
that a group from a local church was studying this and I thought that
it would be a good fit for where I am in life right now. I have read
through the first two chapters and it very much seems like a
wonderful book!
I know that no earthly things: friends,
family, my kids, our church, our possessions, craft projects, even my
husband is not going to be able to fill that “tank” in me that is
designed for only God to fill. For some reason I seem to forget that.
Or choose to forget it. Or let other things push it out of my mind. I
will admit that I do not do a good job of spending time daily with my
Lord. And I know in my head that I need to, but for some reason I
have not been able to get past it. Get a good routine down. Maybe I'm
not disciplined enough, don't have time, don't this, don't that. But
they are all just excuses.
What I need most in my life right now
is Jesus Christ and time reading His Word, being with Him, spending
good, quality time with my Lord and Savior.
Chapter 58 of Isaiah is talking about
how the people are fasting but it seems to them that God is not
“seeing” them. But the problem is that they think the physical
act of fasting is all they should be doing. They are fasting and
“giving their day to God”, so, why isn't He doing what they are
asking/wanting?
Because they were doing it for
themselves. For what it would get them. For show. They made it look
like they were seeking God. But God knows the heart. We can't fool
Him. Maybe we can fool those around us. Or think we are fooling those
around us. But not God. And as soon as their fasting was over they
were right back to being terrible people. Fighting with each other as
soon as they were done giving their “time” to God.
God doesn't want our fasting to just be
fasting, in order to say we did it. {Or instead of fasting-our
portrayed “Christian” behavior-our good deeds} He wants us to
give ourselves to Him. Always. Not just go through the motions. Not
just act like we are a Christian. To actually BE Christ-like.
He
calls us to action.
To help those in
need.
To Have
compassion.
To not point
fingers at people and judge them.
To not talk
maliciously about or to people.
{verses 7 &
9}
Then comes verse 11.
...He
will satisfy your needs....
God has promised to meet our
needs. Even in a “sun-scorched” land. Sometimes it feels like I
am emotionally “sun-scorched”. Meeting the needs of a 5 month
old. A 3 year old. A 6 six year old. A 7 year old. My spouse. My
extended family. My church family. Sometimes it feels like I am
Sun-scorched. But praise God, He tells me that He will meet my needs.
How amazing that the God of the universe will meet MY needs. My
needs. Amazing.
And not only will He meet my
needs but he says that I will be like a well
watered garden. Have you ever seen a well watered garden? It
is a beautiful thing. It produces so many fruits and vegetables.
Good, delicious, nutrient filled produce. Produce that will fill
bellies. Give those that partake of it-the vitamins and minerals they
need. God says that He will meet my needs and then I will in turn be
able to meet the needs of those around me. And then I will
be like a {spring whose waters never fail}. I would love to be
a source of never ending water for someone. To be able to continually
meet the needs, physical, emotion and spiritual needs of those around
me. Especially those closest to me.
God's Word is truly amazing.
His promises are amazing. His timing is ALWAYS right and good.
So, I am going to be trying
extra hard to make sure that I spend the time that I need with my
God. I am craving His Word. Craving being with Him. Already He has
shown me so personally how much He loves me and that He truly does
want me to be close to Him.
I think it is just
absolutely amazing the way God shows us Himself and shows us what He
is wanting us to learn. How He orchestrates the sermons, the birthday
cards, the blogs, everything- to give us His guidance and even reveal
His will to us. To me.
So this was quite a personal
post-I don't often do those. But I felt like God was laying it on me
to write it out. Maybe He will use it to encourage another believer!
