Sanctify Us

Isaiah 55 is a call for people to come and enjoy the blessings of the LORD. Whereas we were once separated fr om God because of our sins, we now have the opportunity to be with Him and partake of His bles sings. T his is possible because of the work of the Messiah as God had promised would come from the house of David. Chapter 53 also speaks of that redemptive, sacrificial work of Jesus. But n ow in 55:6-9 we see a key component to that call to be with God. If we want to be with Him, we must b e like Him. That seems impossible to do, yet it is necessary.   Forsake wicked ways.  “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the  wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he  may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7). The open call in verse 1 is given an urgent twist. God is accessible and ready to receive us—what a blessing! But the time t...

The transition of power from Solomon to his son Rehoboam was anything but smooth. By most standards, Solomon was a wildly successful king who established economic control over the region and built up Israel to new glory. The people were initially united in their support of Rehoboam, but a usurper named Jeroboam worked to spoil that.   Jeroboam was a former official in Solomon’s court who rebelled against Solomon and fled to Egypt (1 Kings 11:26-40). Once Solomon died, Jeroboam returned to take another shot at seizing the throne for himself. Rehoboam handled the situation foolishly and lost control over the majority of the nation. The ten northern tribes anointed Jeroboam as their king and the nation was permanently split in two (12:16-20).   There was significant instability in both nations for a time—the seemingly inevitable war between the two was only avoided because God intervened through the prophet Shemaiah (12:21-24). It doesn’t surprise us that Rehoboam is left pic...

“Amen” is a word that we don’t always think much about, but it means more than “the prayer is over”—it actually carries a meaning of truth or assent. When we use it at the end of a prayer, what we are really doing is expressing our agreement with the words of the prayer. When someone else is leading the prayer, that is a way for me to join in and echo his words; when it is my own, it serves as a form of emphasis. Another way we say amen is in response to a speaker’s assertion: the preacher makes a point that resonates with you, and so you say “amen”. The same can also be done in a private conversation. Either way, the function here is very similar. I agree with what was said and I want to vocalize that agreement.     There’s a striking account in Deuteronomy 27 where this word takes center stage. It paints a picture of a powerful moment in the wilderness but also teaches us something about our relationship with God and His covenant.     Keep silent and listen.  ...

In John 17, Jesus prayed for His disciples to be faithful even though He was getting ready to leave them. In this prayer He shows deep concern for how they will conduct themselves in the future. There are so many opportunities for us to lose our faith. Let’s take some of what Jesus prayed for and echo it as a prayer for ourselves. Unity.   “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one” (John 17:9-11).     Jesus’ prayer was especially focused on those who followed Him. He certainly still cared about the world—He was getting ready to die for the sins of every person. But His disciples needed special intercession on their behalf.     When Jesus leav...