Thursday

July 17, 2008 Our Father

Our Father

Isaiah 45:17 But Israel will be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation; you will never be put to shame or disgraced, to ages everlasting. 18 For this is what the Lord says-- he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited-- he says: "I am the Lord, and there is no other. 19 I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob's descendants, 'Seek me in vain.' I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right. 20 "Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save. 21 Declare what is to be, present it-- let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me. 22 "Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. 23 By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. 24 They will say of me, 'In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength.'" All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame. 25 But in the Lord all the descendants of Israel will be found righteous and will exult.

This has to be one of my most favorite chapters in scriptures. To hear His voice speak in His Word as it is written. These are the words that bring awareness of God's greatness and awesome nature and presence. As He speaks it's like thunder and strong, steadfast and secure.
It leaves us with a sense of the same strength and security. We have a Father who is strong
and not weak. We can be secure as He watches over us and takes care of us, protecting us.
Listen to His voice, He is a Father who speaks with authority and love, never hurting
or abusive? A God who is all Love and nothing less, with love that cannot be compared
even to the love of a most caring and protective earthly father.

It isn't that our earthly fathers ever could give such perfect love. Feeling loved and secure in a child comes from an earthly father asking forgiveness for falling short, showing he can cry, being vulnerable before God....this is strength, certainly not weakness as the world has taught. It is no wonder that the enemy has twisted the need for our earthly fathers to feel they need to hold it all in, not to express their fears and shortcomings. Because it distorted our view in sorting out the differences between our Father God and our father on earth.

God the Father, all knowing, all loving, kind, gentle, forgiving, protective, saving, watchful, sure, steadfast, righteous, everlasting, creator, founder, no other, light, the one and only true God. He is a God that does not demand that our knee bow, He speaks of what is, that every knee will bow in His awesome presence, His very nature will pull us down to our knees.

Experience His presence in all the softness and quiet of your prayer time. Let Him saturate you with His powerful love and grace. You will not stand, it is not possible to stand when you are that close to Him. You will feel a sense of covering over your head, we are so unworthy. It is written, 'our righteousness is as filthy rags' (Isaiah 64:6) in His presence. But He sees beyond the outside, He sees the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

http://static.flickr.com/1346/900036343_21e7908d7c.jpg

Video & Song
'Falling On My Knees" Kathrynn Scott
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Js5OnLeunQ

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