Here I am introducing a, hopefully, recurring feature. Every once in a while I get distracted during the sermon and start flipping through my Bible and see where I end up. Sometimes I'll let scripture take me on a little journey through some connected verses. Here I'll talk about some of these passages. Please comments as you'd like.The first is from Isaiah 63:9. It says:
In all their distress he too was distressed,
and the angel of his presence saved them.
In his love and mercy he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them
all the days of old.
I was floored by the very first line. The God of the universe sees the distress of His people and shares in their distress. Is there no greater love than this. The writers of the New Testament used the work agape to describe this kind of love. This us the love that cares more for the pain and distress of others. I can't help but think of a friend of mine going through a very difficult time. I have felt their pain so many times and realized that I was starting to understand agape when I began to ask God to let me bear this pain instead of them. This is what God was telling the nation of Israel through the prophet. God is feeling my hurts and pains, my stress and insecurities. In my most difficult times, I am never, never alone. God is not only there with me, but He takes my pain on Himself.
A friend tells me of a dream they had. In the darkness of a tunnel they could go no farther. Just at the moment of giving up hope, God appears and carries my friend to safety. I was reminded of that story when I came to this last line. "He lifted them up and carried them..." When I cannot go one step farther, God carries me, maybe like a baby, maybe like a soldier carrying a wounded comrade, a Shepherd carrying a wounded lamb. My God, My Saviour. What love, what mercy, what grace. That God would care for a messed up, rebellious sinner such as I. I am humbled and bowed before such a God as this.
