Our little family is finally home from 10 days of house/dog sitting. It was so wonderful to finally be back in my own bed with my own pillows . . . with as fussy as I am, I can't believe that I FORGOT to bring my own pillows. As it was, I discovered late Saturday night that somehow my favorite pillow had been switched with Patrick's main pillow (in matching cases). Poor Patrick kept trying to get me to move onto my own side of the bed because I kept trying to keep my head on MY pillow! The minute he got up to go to the bathroom the next morning, I grabbed what was mine and did a swap.
As I was flipping through my Bible last night in search of a marked passage, I came across Isaiah 43:25.
I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.
In this verse, God is pleading with Israel, His unfaithful child. Before this, He reminds them of their many sins, of the ways that they have fallen short of His commands. Then, God writes this verse before speaking again of the blessings that He will pour out upon those who love Him.
It is so easy to become wrapped up in our own, self-centered lives. Modern Christianity often seems to promote this with the "all about you" gospel. You choose God. You decide to be holy. You deserve God's love because obviously you don't deserve hell.
What is it that God says here, though? HE blots out our transgressions. For our own sake? So that we can get to heaven? No. None of these reasons are listed. He does it for His own sake. For His own glory.
How small that makes me feel, yet how thankful I am for His promise. He will not remember my sins. He has blotted out my transgressions. For His own sake. Though this is humbling, it causes me to realize that His own sake is much bigger than my own sake. That thought is comforting, as are the promises found just a few verses later in chapter 44 (verses 1-5).
"Yet hear now, O Jacob My servant, and Israel whom I have chosen. Thus says the Lord who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you:
'Fear not, O Jacob My servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring. They will spring up among the grass like willows by the watercourses.'
One will say, 'I am the Lord's' ; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; another will write with his hand, 'The Lord's,' and name himself by the name of Israel."
Whom the Lord has chosen, He will bless. Whom the Lord has chosen, He has promised blessings upon their offspring. Whom the Lord has chosen, he will be called by the name of the Lord.
How much better it is to have been chosen than to have chosen. Since all things are for the sake of the Chooser, how wonderful will all things be in the end for how glorious is He who has blotted out and forgotten the sins of his chosen.
As I was flipping through my Bible last night in search of a marked passage, I came across Isaiah 43:25.
I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.
In this verse, God is pleading with Israel, His unfaithful child. Before this, He reminds them of their many sins, of the ways that they have fallen short of His commands. Then, God writes this verse before speaking again of the blessings that He will pour out upon those who love Him.
It is so easy to become wrapped up in our own, self-centered lives. Modern Christianity often seems to promote this with the "all about you" gospel. You choose God. You decide to be holy. You deserve God's love because obviously you don't deserve hell.
What is it that God says here, though? HE blots out our transgressions. For our own sake? So that we can get to heaven? No. None of these reasons are listed. He does it for His own sake. For His own glory.
How small that makes me feel, yet how thankful I am for His promise. He will not remember my sins. He has blotted out my transgressions. For His own sake. Though this is humbling, it causes me to realize that His own sake is much bigger than my own sake. That thought is comforting, as are the promises found just a few verses later in chapter 44 (verses 1-5).
"Yet hear now, O Jacob My servant, and Israel whom I have chosen. Thus says the Lord who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you:
'Fear not, O Jacob My servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring. They will spring up among the grass like willows by the watercourses.'
One will say, 'I am the Lord's' ; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; another will write with his hand, 'The Lord's,' and name himself by the name of Israel."
Whom the Lord has chosen, He will bless. Whom the Lord has chosen, He has promised blessings upon their offspring. Whom the Lord has chosen, he will be called by the name of the Lord.
How much better it is to have been chosen than to have chosen. Since all things are for the sake of the Chooser, how wonderful will all things be in the end for how glorious is He who has blotted out and forgotten the sins of his chosen.
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