Today’s scripture: Isaiah 14:24-27 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Terri Brown):
The Lord Almighty has sworn, “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.” v. 24
God is telling me this all the time. I hear him whisper this to me through words of children, coworkers, family, and friends. I hear the pastor shout it from the sanctuary. I hear the choir sing, and the message reverberates through the sound system and touches my heart.
But I remain unsure. I worry. I preplan, recreate, disorganize, become overwhelmed — and still the message remains the same. The words may be a little different. The song may have a different beat, but I remain steadfast, malcontented, and unaffected as if the message has fallen on deaf ears. God tries to talk to me in a different way.
“I am here.” Long ago, just as God sent a Son, God sent me a son. And my ears were opened as I was moved by something I could not see or hear. The message was clear: There was a purpose for this child because my lips were moving and saying, “I can’t do this. I have recently divorced, and I am going back to school, working part time, and already a single parent to three little girls.”
Someone said, “Happy Birthday, You’re pregnant! What a wonderful birthday gift.” I tried to say something, but no negative words would come out. Eventually, God was able to reveal to me the plan and purpose without really showing me. I could feel the life in me and knew something special would happen.
And it did. The child helped me grow and transform and accept the responsibility I had already instilled upon myself. I excelled in my course work and was rewarded for my efforts. But after a few years my eyes, my ears, and my heart became lost again in a flurry of activities and misunderstandings and hurt. And I stopped hearing God and the choir and any other strong or loud voice again.
So I wandered for a while, hopeless and helpless. Eventually, I found a space where I could feel God, but I had trouble seeing God. Something was not quite right, and I became lost again. The music kept me coming, but my heart started to shrink. God was there, but so was darkness. These other people were not part of the plan, and God was directing me to someplace else.
There were many dark days. I used to joke that the light at the end of the tunnel was a freight train coming. I felt stuck. But somehow I found the church where I go now and a new light and a new transformation. God arrived with another plan and purpose, and I thought I found my niche.
But the message is there again, gnawing at me like a dog with a big bone. God seems to be saying there is still more. So I await the plan — my new-found purpose — as God again reveals to me what my heart aches for.
Thought for the day: What plan has God revealed to you? Are you waiting on God to change your life anew? Pray and ask God to reveal that purpose to you.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.