WAKE UP & GET UP

During the worship service, and the pastor's sermon this past Sunday, the Lord gave me my own sermon.

Sometimes He does that and I delight when He speaks through His Word to me in this way.

The sermon topic was from Isaiah 52.

We know that at this time the people of Israel were being held captive in the foreign land of their enemies.  This wasn't of course of their choosing but because of the stupidity and  foolishness of their leader.  Isaiah 39 tells us about that.

Have you ever found yourself in a place of rejection and confusion, pain and despair not because of anything you did, but because of someone else's decisions?  Or perhaps it was something you did foolishly.  A poor decision on your part.

REGARDLESS!

During this time, do you feel that God is no where to be found?  That He has put you in a holding pattern for some reason?

Back in Isaiah 40, the writer talks about this period in our lives.

Verse 27 reflects how we feel sometimes.  "Why are you hiding from me Oh God, do you not even see what's happening to me?  Are you too great to even care about me?"

Then in verse 31, we get some assurance that God does care and in fact, tells us how to deal with the pain we are experiencing.

WAIT!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

THAT'S ALL?

I DON'T DO WAITING!

But, that's what He says we are to do.

"Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary."

I don't know about you, but I don't wait very well.  I want to be busy doing something.  Something!!

In Isaiah 52 we are told what we can do.

While you are waiting,

WAKE UP

Don't just lie around in your depression and despair.  Open your eyes to the possibilities of the day.

GET UP

Get out of bed if possible every morning.  Get active.  Do something physical.  Move your body and eat something healthy.  Do something for someone else. 

CLOTHE YOURSELF

Get dressed.  Put on something that makes you feel proud of yourself.  You want to look your best in God's strength.  Then top off that outfit with God's armor.  His Holy Word!

SHAKE OFF THE DUST

Shake off all those things you have experienced.  Get rid of the bad memories that have a way of haunting us during the night.  Throw off the pain, the hurt feelings, the inadequacies.  RISE UP out of the dust of the past.

LOOSE THOSE CHAINS

Unlock and throw away those heavy, choking chains of resentment, depression, oppression, fear,

un-forgiveness, hate.  All those things have had held you down.

THE RESULT!

"MY PEOPLE SHALL KNOW MY NAME and that HERE I AM!"

I love that picture.

TA DA!  Here I am!  I am here and have been here the whole time.

SING A NEW SONG!

"How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news,

Who announces peace and brings good news of happiness,

Who announces salvation,

And says to Zion,

YOUR GOD REIGNS!"

The beauty found after exile and release from despair;

The beauty found in awakening;

adorning ourselves in God's Holy Spirit;

removing the dust and chains that have held us bound,

result in

TRANSFORMATION - RENEWING

"DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, THAT YOU MAY PROVE WHAT THE WILL OF GOD IS, THAT WHICH IS GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT."

Romans 12:2

Paul tells us the same thing in Chapter 13 of Romans that Isaiah did .

Awaken from sleep
Lay aside the darkness
Put on the armor of light
Behave properly
Put on the LORD JESUS CHRIST!
Make no room for the things of the world that pull you down.

That's it, plain and simple.

But, not always so easily done.

That's where the steps we take each day are so important.

May God's Holy Spirit by your adornment one day at a time.