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Worship IX Day 12 Spirit & Truth: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Spirit & Truth!

The Questions

1) What is meant by New Moons, festivals, and burnt offerings? (verses 11-14)

2) How does the righteous Lord respond to a disobedient people? (verse 15)

3) What antidote does God give for Israel’s rebellion? (verses 16-20)

Isaiah 1:11-20

“What are all your sacrifices to me?”
asks the Lord.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings and rams
and the fat of well-fed cattle;
I have no desire for the blood of bulls,
lambs, or male goats.
12 When you come to appear before me,
who requires this from you—
this trampling of my courts?
13 Stop bringing useless offerings.
Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons and Sabbaths,
and the calling of solemn assemblies—
I cannot stand iniquity with a festival.
14 I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals.
They have become a burden to me;
I am tired of putting up with them.
15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will refuse to look at you;
even if you offer countless prayers,
I will not listen.
Your hands are covered with blood.


16 “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves.
Remove your evil deeds from my sight.
Stop doing evil.
17 Learn to do what is good.
Pursue justice.
Correct the oppressor.
Defend the rights of the fatherless.
Plead the widow’s cause.

18 “Come, let’s settle this,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are scarlet,
they will be as white as snow;
though they are crimson red,
they will be like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good things of the land.
20 But if you refuse and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Original Intent

1) What is meant by New Moons, festivals, and burnt offerings? (verses 11-14)
God had instituted these festivals, celebrations, and offerings as tangible reminders of God’s goodness and love towards His people, Israel. He commanded them to celebrate these festivals regularly; to ignore them would have been disobedient. However, Isaiah the prophet records the Lord telling Israel to cease all their rituals and ceremonies that He Himself has instituted because their hearts had missed the point, which was worshipping God. The intention of the festivals was to remind them of God’s goodness toward Israel, while the blood sacrifices were meant to remind them that every sin carried a cost. Even though “It’s impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4), the sacrifices were necessary to show the people that 1) blood payment must be made for sin and 2) God is gracious to accept their offerings while they waited for the Ultimate Sacrifice to come as the Messiah, Christ Jesus, whose blood would pay for all sin. (1 John 2:2) The sacrifices reminded Israel they were a guilty people in desperate need of a Redeemer. Sacrifices also kept Israel in relationship with the Lord by prodding them to confess their sin, repent (turn away), and be made right with God. Over time, the sacrifices became empty rituals and Israel’s heart was far from God. Ritual without heart-change, sacrifice without obedience, gifts without authenticity, these were what God despised. He declared these empty acts to be a “trampling of My courts.” (verse 12) The stinging criticism of worship in verses 11-14, is not an indictment of worship in general. Rather, it is an indictment of worship that serves as a COVER-UP for EMPTY HEARTS. External religion is an easy cloak to disguise sin.

2) How does the righteous Lord respond to a disobedient people? (verse 15)
Verse 15 records the Lord responding to Israel’s sinful rebellion by refusing to look at or listen to them. He paid no attention to their outstretched hands or many prayers; their hearts didn’t desire true repentance or confession. Authentic worship was absent. Though He loved His people, their repetitive decisions to sin were detestable; God couldn’t look upon them because their hearts were not repentant. Without true repentance, sacrifice was meaningless. Isaiah and Amos, among others, warned of coming exile for Israel’s persistent sin. God would send fire to Judah and their cities would become desolate. (Isaiah 1:7, Amos 2:4-5) God’s response to sinful disobedience has consistently remained the exact same from the Garden of Eden, to ancient Israel, to the early church, and our own generation. Justice. (Isaiah 30:18) He is a just God, refusing to allow any sin to go unpunished. He can neither look upon sin nor ignore it. The price for sin must be paid, this is justice. Graciously, He is also infinitely good and loving, which led Him to give Himself for the payment of our sin. He paid the penalty we never could for every single sin when He died on the cross as a blood sacrifice. Only a perfect Being could pay the penalty of sin in full.  He proved He had all authority over sin and death by rising from the dead on the third day. Now, for all who choose to trust Him as Savior, God can look on us and listen to us, even if we still sin because He has taken our condemnation and given us righteousness instead! (Romans 8:1-2, 2 Corinthians 5:21) No amount of sacrifices from Israel could change the posture of their hearts. Without a heart and life reformation, God could not accept their sacrifices, nor would He be manipulated by them!

3) What antidote does God give for Israel’s rebellion? (verses 16-20)
Isaiah was an evangelistic prophet, telling the coming good news of the Messiah. Even his name means “Salvation of Jehovah”. It is quite significant, therefore, that his first chapter contains the gospel invitation. Long before Jesus would come as a babe then die as the Savior, Isaiah wrote, ““Come, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool.” (verse 18) Sin was bluntly acknowledged, consequence was justly coming, yet the Lord offers this antidote, “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight.
Stop doing evil. Learn to do what is good. Pursue justice.” (verses 16-17) Cleansing from sin was available to Israel, even now in the heat of their rebellion. Their washing was totally separated from ANY human merit or effort. The goodness they were called to do directly followed the cleaning and did not precede it. Good works have never been able to cover sin, only true cleansing. This washing is found only in the mercy of God. It was His mercy that permitted the blood of animals to act as payment for sin, even though they couldn’t remove sin. The perfect display of mercy came as the Father sent the Son to shed His blood on the cross to perfectly pay for every sin. (1 John 2:2) What lavish mercy! Still, the prophet warns that unless willful cleansing occurs, war and destruction await, “But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” (verse 20)

Everyday Application

1) What is meant by New Moons, festivals, and burnt offerings? (verses 11-14)
As I researched this passage, I found myself focusing on the intricacies of festivals and burnt offerings which comprised the everyday rhythms of ancient Israel. I studied what each offering meant and the detailed directions on which offering to give if you committed this sin or that, knowingly or unknowingly, whether the animal was clean or unclean, and which rituals to follow when. I became entangled in intense detail. It was like a fall corn maze; which route is the right path to obedience and pleasing God? I became anxious and felt trapped. Which way, Lord? Stopping to pray as I studied was essential to understanding this simple truth from the Lord: offer sacrifices of worship. (Hebrews 13:15) Old Testament festivals and sacrifices are no longer required by believers today because Jesus paid the full blood price for our sins on the cross. However, the sacrifice of thanksgiving is evidenced in both Old and New Testaments just in differing forms. (Leviticus 7:12, Ephesians 5:20) Today, we don’t offer grain for thanksgiving, we use the whole of our lives as “living sacrifices”. (Romans 12:1, Matthew 22:37) Daily life can be a maze, and we can feel lost and confused, forgetting to bring the simple offering of ourselves with a childlike faith and repentant hearts before the King. It’s easy to weave a tangled web with daily chores and “to do” lists which pull us away from offering heart worship. If we aren’t intentional, we can end up only offering lip service in prayer and neglecting true worship. Even if this describes you sometimes, as it does me, there is hope! Instead of New Moons, festivals and burnt offerings, rituals in our personal lives and churches, let’s lean into worship in Spirit and truth. Our devoted hearts, genuine love, and faithfulness are exactly what GOD wants.

2) How does the righteous Lord respond to a disobedient people? (verse 15)
God is holy and righteous; He cannot be in the presence of sin. (1 John 5:18) Once we trust that Jesus has paid the penalty for our sin, and accept His righteousness in place of our rebellion, we are declared righteous. Even if we sin after we have trusted Christ, we are still covered by His blood sacrifice. (1 John 1:9) Without the covering of Christ, however, we stand condemned; we have rejected Christ. (John 3:18) When we choose to sin, we are walking away from a close relationship with God, even our prayers are hindered. (Psalm 66:18) Our hands are bloody with our sin, and though we offer countless prayers, if our hearts are not contrite before Him, He will reject us. Without faith and repentance, it’s impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6, Mark 1:15) While under our sin-nature, our natural bent is to rebel and disobey God, but when we surrender to Christ, He gives us a new nature. (Romans 5:5) God the Spirit lives inside us, teaching us to obey God (John 14:26), equipping us to follow Him (Hebrews 13:21), and giving us the desire to do His work (Philippians 2:13). Following God in obedience is the practical acceptance of the authority of God in our everyday lives. Our surrendered hearts to Christ allow His Spirit to rule in our lives, giving us the ability to step away from sinful rebellion and into obedience. We can halt our disobedient trajectory by reading God’s Word and asking the Spirit to open our eyes to our sinful patterns. Every Christian should evaluate all of life against Scripture through prayer. Marriage, career, relationships, our words, thoughts, actions, and even our body language should all reflect a heart of surrendered worship! Once the Spirit convicts us of sin, we are to confess it for the Lord promises pardon. (1 John 1:9)

3) What antidote does God give for Israel’s rebellion? (verses 16-20)
Isaiah’s prophecy depicts a severely fractured relationship between God and the people of Israel because of their sin. However, verses 16-20 make a way for restoration through the mercies of God. Israel’s “sins were as scarlet”, but so are ours. Israel rebelled against God by serving and loving themselves. Their greatest sin was rejection of the One True God. They were called upon to follow Him, but they spurned Him. So we turn the mirror on ourselves and inspect our lives for sin. Have we ever refused the ways of the Lord? Have our lips ever rejected His truth by telling a lie? Have our hands ever taken what was not ours, even just a pen or an extra item from the store at check out? Every single act of rebellion against the Lord will carry a just punishment. You and I are just as sinful as Israel, but God’s mercies are just as lavish. No matter how detestable Israel’s sin, God was willing to forgive and cleanse, and so He is with us. Will we choose to be clean? Will we live by faith and allow Christ to sever our ties to sin? The choice is ours just as it was for Israel. Will we come to Christ the Forgiver and confess our sins against Him? Or will we remain in sin with God’s wrath upon us? God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah, “Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and You shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 7:23) If we will heed God’s call to come and be washed, apart from any self-proclaimed “good deeds”, we have His guarantee that we will be His. Through the blood of Christ, God will make us white as snow; His presence will comfort and delight for eternity. Take the antidote for rebellion and be cleansed by the Judge who longs to make you righteous!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Spirit & Truth!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship IX Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Waiting Day 7 Look, Listen and Wait: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Look, Listen and Wait!

The Questions

1) Why would God hide His face from David? (verse 1)

2) Why does David ask God to restore brightness to his eyes? (verse 3)

3) How had the Lord treated David generously? (verse 6)

Psalm 13

1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long will I store up anxious concerns within me,
agony in my mind every day?
How long will my enemy dominate me?

3 Consider me and answer, Lord my God.
Restore brightness to my eyes;
otherwise, I will sleep in death.
4 My enemy will say, “I have triumphed over him,”
and my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.

5 But I have trusted in your faithful love;
my heart will rejoice in your deliverance.
6 I will sing to the Lord
because he has treated me generously.

Original Intent

1) Why would God hide His face from David? (verse 1)
Psalm 13 is a lament of David, probably written while running away or hiding from Saul, the jealous King who sought to kill God’s chosen leader. (1 Samuel 21) David felt like God was far from him, hiding His face from him, since God wasn’t providing the deliverance and victory he had asked and waited for. Author David Guzik suggests, “No doubt, David had faced worse circumstances but had faced them more bravely when he had sensed the presence of God with him. Yet now, feeling distant from God, it did not take much to send David into despair.” Instead of delivering David from his troubles, God allowed David to wait, seek, and trust in His provision. According to author David C Egner, “When God withholds His hand, He wants us to look to His heart. In other words, He wants us to learn more about His goodness and His love, and to trust Him to do what is best.” Sometimes, God lets us wait so we can exercise our faith in Him. He wants us to trust in His promises and His Word even when our circumstances seem in opposition to God’s promises. The Lord longs to show us mercy and compassion, and promises we will be happy (blessed) when we wait on Him. (Isaiah 30:18) We can be like David and turn our lament into praise (Psalm 13:6) when we choose to patiently wait on God and remind ourselves of His faithfulness in every situation. (Psalm 119:90) At times, it may feel like God’s face is hidden, but He is always near to us (Psalm 145:18) even when He asks us to wait.

2) Why does David ask God to restore brightness to his eyes? (verse 3)
When David asks God to “Restore brightness to my eyes; otherwise, I will sleep in death” (verse 3), he could be asking God for several things. Author Albert Barnes suggests David alludes to “his exhaustion, arising from trouble and despair, as if he were about to die.” David was physically weary from being on the run from King Saul who was trying to kill him. (1 Samuel 19) The brightness had gone out of his eyes due to him searching tirelessly for God to interrupt his circumstances. He was watching for physical deliverance from the Lord while also watching out for his enemy, and his eyes were dimmed and weary as a result. He wanted his eyes to be revived by seeing God deliver him. David Guzik asserts that David also requested spiritual enlightenment because “David had the wisdom to know that though he felt powerful feelings, he wasn’t seeing reality. His vision was clouded and dark, so he cried out to God, “Enlighten my eyes.’” David knew that though his circumstances looked bad, he ultimately needed to see through the lens of God’s beloved, chosen and anointed King (1 Samuel 16) and not through the eyes of a hunted fugitive. He wanted God to restore brightness to his eyes and hope to his heart.

3) How had the Lord treated David generously? (verse 6)
In verse 6, David writes of the future when he will sing to the Lord because He has dealt generously with him. His current situation is nothing to sing about. He is being hunted down by an angry enemy! But David trusts in the faithful love of God and in His deliverance. He is so confident in God’s coming generosity and rescue from his dire straits that he willfully chooses to rejoice now. Because he has already trusted God’s faithful love, David is now free to rejoice! “But I have trusted in Your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in Your deliverance.” (verse 5) Author David C. McCasland notes, “In every struggle—mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual—our challenge is to move from the fear of being overwhelmed to the confidence that God has overcome.” David makes this movement from wondering where God is, to rejoicing in the deliverance he knows is coming. He goes so far as to call God generous for the deliverance He will provide. David believes God is faithful and trustworthy because He has delivered David generously in the past. David knows that though it feels like God is nowhere to be found, He is actually with David, preparing to act generously toward him. Psalm 84:11 tells us that God “is a sun and shield. The Lord grants favor and honor; he does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity.” David believes what he knows to be true about his generous, faithful God instead of the feelings invoked by his fearful situation. We can follow David’s example and trust that God will not withhold good from those who follow Him, regardless of our feelings or situation.

Everyday Application

1) Why would God hide His face from David? (verse 1)
A friend once asked how she could feel close to God again. The Scriptures seemed lifeless and every sermon seemed flat. Her devotional time was fruitless and her prayer time felt empty. She believed God was ignoring her. I encouraged her to keep seeking the Lord, but I wish I had known to direct her to David’s example in Psalm 13. David thought God was hiding His face from him, and he wondered how long God would forget him. (verse 1) According to author James Montgomery Boice, “The fact that we feel abandoned itself means that we really know God is there. To be abandoned you need somebody to be abandoned by. Because we are Christians and have been taught by God in the Scriptures, we know that God still loves us and will be faithful to us, regardless of our feelings.” David’s knowledge of God led him to recall God’s faithfulness. Soon, David’s lament about his circumstances became a plea for God to intervene. (Psalm 13:3) He stopped dwelling on the fear and despair he felt and focused on the God who saves. (Psalm 68:20) When David called out to God, he remembered His faithful God could be trusted. (verse 5) After all, God had already delivered David from a lion, a bear, and a giant. (1 Samuel 17:37) David knew that the God who saved him before could save him again. He was so confident in God’s faithfulness that his heart began to rejoice! (verse 5) His situation hadn’t changed, but his focus had. Instead of wondering why God had forgotten him, David remembered God was his refuge and his deliverer. He no longer saw God as the one hiding His face from him, but rather as the One who could be trusted in all things.

2) Why does David ask God to restore brightness to his eyes? (verse 3)
When asked how he is doing, one friend of mine always cheerfully answers, “I’m living the dream!” Another friend responds to my query with a lilting, “I am blessed and highly favored!” They remind me of the psalmist David, who writes passionately and honestly about his feelings in his songs to the Lord. While many of David’s psalms are praises to God, as seen in Psalm 8 and Psalm 145, David expresses his feelings of despair in Psalm 13:3 when he asks God to restore brightness to his eyes so he does not sleep in death. David is physically and emotionally exhausted from being chased by his enemy, and he lets God know that his eyes are failing and death seems near. He is frustrated that following God has led him to hiding out and fighting for his life. I have never been in such physical danger as David, but I have felt his frustration of doing all the right things only to see my situation get worse. It is hard to remember God’s goodness when our eyes are clouded by difficult circumstances. I want God to remove the obstacles for me, and sometimes He does. But many times, He simply tells me not to fear because He is God and He is with me to strengthen me, help me, and hold on to me. (Isaiah 41:10) If you feel like your eyes and your hope are dim today, call out to God to restore brightness to your eyes and hope to your heart. Even if He does not immediately change your situation, He will give you the strength to endure and peace to comfort you until you rejoice, like David did, in God’s deliverance. (verse 5)

3) How had the Lord treated David generously? (verse 6)
My mom used her sewing machine a lot when I was growing up to make clothes for my sister and I, to make clothes for our dolls, and to make gifts and crafts to sell and give away. So, it was a big deal when her sewing machine broke beyond repair. We didn’t have the money to get a new one, so we prayed for one. I colored a picture of a new machine and hung it above her sewing table as a reminder of what God was going to give her. I don’t remember how it happened (I think someone gifted us their old machine) but it wasn’t long before there was another sewing machine whirring away in the sewing room. I was happy, but not surprised. I was used to God providing when we prayed. I grew up believing God would provide all our needs (Philippians 4:19) and He did, though maybe not in the way I expected or in the time frame I had in mind. Like David, I knew God to be a generous God. (Psalm 13:6) Even in his fear and the chaos of his life on the run, David knew that when he called on God, God would come through. Author Marvin Williams states, “We all go through dark nights of the soul when we wonder if God has abandoned us. As with David, our aching can give way to joy when we approach God honestly, plead for help, and reaffirm our trust in a God whose love for us will never waver or change.” David had some close calls that made him question if God really had his back, but in every situation David was able to recall the goodness and faithfulness of God and the generous treatment he found at God’s hands.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Look, Listen and Wait!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Waiting Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Waiting Day 6 Look, Listen, and Wait

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 3
Genesis 15:1-6
Psalm 27:7-14
Luke 18:1-8

Waiting, Day 6

From the beginning, humankind has been waiting. In one crushing moment, paradise and unbroken relationship with God were lost. As Adam and Eve trudged from the lushness of the Garden into the dust of everywhere else because of their decision to sin against the God who loved them, the waiting for a redeemer and rescuer began. (Genesis 3)

Eve held a promise her seed would crush the enemy. (Genesis 3:15) Then one son was murdered and the other and was exiled. (Genesis 4:1-16) Eve returned to waiting.

Abraham and Sarah were promised more children than the stars in the skies (Genesis 15:1-6), but they grew tired of waiting and took their own action (Genesis 16). The Middle East has been at war within itself ever since as one son (Ishmael/Islam) warred against the other (Isaac/Judaism).

Generations later, the nation of Israel continued to wait. As foretold to Abraham, God spectacularly and miraculously freed them from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:29-42, Exodus 14:5-31), but it wasn’t enough.

While Moses received the Law from God on Mt. Sinai, the people decided Yahweh was no longer worth the wait, so they made their own god, a golden calf. Like Abraham and Sarah, Israel took matters into their own hands and disaster followed. (Exodus 32)

From Israel, we learn what not to do while waiting. Choosing to abandon the wait or wrest control from God always results in destruction.

Israel used their waiting in the wilderness as an opportunity to continue their rebellion rather than choose to grow in trusting Yahweh. (Numbers 16) Eventually, by God’s grace, they entered the Promised Land. However, humankind’s sinful nature continued to manifest through disobedience and rebellion in the face of God’s protection and generosity. Israel took God’s gift of land and, through selfish arrogance, their kingdom became savagely divided. They waited for rescue almost continually. Wait, rebel, endure captivity … repeat. Over and over and over. Israel ignored the signs of God’s provision and protection all around them.

Therefore, God appointed prophets to speak for Him, to admonish and encourage the Israelites to return to God. Still, Israel ignored the words of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, and other prophets who all pointed to The Only One who could rescue. (Micah 5:2)

Eventually, the prophets, too, grew silent.
400 years of silence passed without a word or a sign.

We likely haven’t waited 400 years to see God move on our behalf, but even waiting days or months seems like an eternity. It’s hard to hold onto the truth that God still sees us. It’s hard to wait for God to move without attempting to hurry the answer along.

Fast forward to early first century Israel. Rome was the ruling party while Israel still awaited rescue. The 400 years of silent, painful waiting was broken when a young woman was told she would birth the Messiah. (Luke 1:26-33)

Then the Savior was born . . . quietly, inauspiciously, in a stable. (Luke 2:1-7)

A few people knew. Local shepherds and Joseph were visited by angels. The Savior was finally here and they were drawn to worship. (Luke 2:8-20) Seers from the East noticed the star in the heavens mentioned in Numbers 24:17. Though they weren’t followers of Yahweh, they journeyed to Israel to worship this perfect King. (Matthew 2:1-12)

Some suspected. King Herod, who wasn’t the first ruler to order infanticide (Exodus 1:15-22, Matthew 2:16-18), attempted to murder the Promised One, albeit unsuccessfully.
He wasn’t the last to seek Christ’s death.

Still Israel waited thirty more years.

Some in Israel, like Abraham had once done, took matters into their own hands. Zealots began uprisings, fomenting insurrections in an attempt to gain control. They incurred the brutal wrath of Rome and the Sanhedrin (hypocritical and self-righteous religious leaders). Once again, rebellion in the waiting was deadly.

To this unrest, Jesus began His ministry unlike Israel expected, without army or militia. Instead, He revealed the heart of the Father, teaching, healing, and restoring. While the Sanhedrin’s authority felt threatened, and several thousand noticed the miraculous (Matthew 14:13-21), most of Israel completely missed their long-awaited Rescuer living among them.

Sisters, it’s so easy to judge Israel’s folly, but how often have we missed God moving in our lives because He didn’t show up as we expected? Like Israel, we become weary of waiting; we’d rather plunge headfirst into doing things our way. When the outcome is painful, and we open our eyes, we see God was present all along in unexpected ways.

Are you waiting?
I’ve been in a “How long, O Lord?” season.
No clear words from the Lord, and no peace to any direction I consider.

So, I wait.

Is it frustrating? Absolutely. I want clear answers and control.
I want to know “why.”
The uncomfortable call to trust, abide, and rest in Him isn’t easy!

Where do we begin?

Read His Word consistently.
Consider the Psalms where we find company in David’s laments and comfort in his decision to praise.

Put on worship music. Many genres are available!

Finally, let’s be honest with God.
Tell Him the wait is hard, even painful and confusing. Ask the Holy Spirit, our comforter, to teach us to wait with expectancy, ready for our Father’s fulfillment of His promises!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Waiting Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Dwell Day 15 Practicing This Gospel

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 103:8-10 
James 1:22-25
Philippians 2:1-11
Galatians 5:7-15 

Dwell, Day 15

Do not merely listen to the Word, Sisters, and so deceive yourselves.
Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the Word and does not apply it
is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror,
and after looking at himself,
goes away and forgets what he looks like.
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,
and continues to do this,
not forgetting what he has heard,
but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does!
(James 1:22-25) 

Beep, Beep, Beep! I swat off my alarm, stumble toward the bathroom and pause with my hand on the light switch, bracing for the onslaught of light.
With one eye open, I squint up at the mirror.
Ugh, there I am in all my morning glory; a sorry sight for even just one half-open eye!

Puffy eyes, pasty complexion– and that hair!
Wow, just wow!

This mirror is not my friend!
But wait, maybe it is.

Mirrors don’t lie.
What sort of friend would look at this mess, tell me I look gorgeous, and allow me to go to work this way?  I hate how it points out my mess, yet without the mirror’s truth-telling, how would I know I look like a fright?

The mirror simply shows me the truth.
It’s up to me to take corrective measures and fix the obvious problems.  

Just as my bathroom mirror points out my glaring physical imperfections,
God’s Word is a mirror for our souls. In His word, we encounter truth.

Like the mirror reflects our physical image, 
so the scripture reveals the contents of our hearts.
As we encounter truth, we see our error.
We are then confronted with the choice of taking corrective action through the help of the Holy Spirit, or ignoring the issue, hoping it will solve itself.  

Just like the mirror directly points out my obvious need for make-up and hair brushing, so Scripture points out where my attitudes and actions need adjustments.  

Scripture says, 
“Do nothing out of selfishness or vain conceit, 
but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 
Each of you should look not only on your own interests, 
but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)

Staring up at me from the mirror of truth is my selfishness.
A wild-eyed girl, hands on hips and stamping her feet, brazenly demanding her own way.  And I am ashamed that a daughter of the King should behave as I have done.

My spirit is broken, like the Father’s, over my sin.
I long for restoration, and I run to His open arms, knowing He is for me, ready to bring redemptive healing and a heart like His. 

Scripture says, 
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, 
but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, 
that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29)

However, sneering up at me from the mirror of truth are my harsh words and sarcasm.
A snaggle-toothed hag leering garishly, the sword of my words brandishing high.
And I am aghast at the ugliness of my soul.  

Scripture declares,
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. 
Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves 
be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1

However, bondage to my flesh stares back.
A pitiful slave-girl gazing up with pleading eyes, begging for release, while clenching her own chains possessively.
My heart reaches for her in empathy, yet I’m powerless to lift her shackles.  

Yet scripture whispers:
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, 
abounding in love. 
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor His anger forever; 
he does not treat us as our sins deserve 
or repay us according to our iniquities.”
Psalm 103:8-10 

In this glorious mirror of Truth, we find Grace, with the name of Father, Son, and Spirit. Here we find our strong and compassionate Father,
extending the nail-scarred hand of the Son,
ready and able to lift us to freedom through the untamable power of the Spirit.
Rooted in truth, buoyed by grace, we are enfolded in His robes of righteousness.

In that moment, the selfish little girl
is transformed into a humble, compassionate princess.

The snaggle-toothed hag
morphs into a magnificent beauty with kindness on her lips.

The wretched slave-girl
rises to take her place among the redeemed royalty, shackles unleashed.

….and such is the beauty and kindness of truth and grace.  

“…you shall know the truth,” the Savior says, 
“and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

So, I bless the harsh realities the mirror of Scripture reveals,
for facing the truth is my only path to freedom through grace.
“…and whoever the Son sets free, is free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Dwell with Him, Sisters.
Dwell deeply and intimately with the King through His eternal Word,
then live free by His Word!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Dwell  Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Dwell!