“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel…. For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted,” (Isaiah 7:14, 16 ESV).
The book of Isaiah holds a lot of the Messianic prophecies. However many of them, if not all of them are in the context of a current situation as well. In this well known passage from chapter 7, we see the virgin birth and the name of Immanuel for the first time. We know this to be referring to the Messiah, Jesus. But at the time, the king of Judah only knew that two nations were coming to war with him. God responds that there will be a Messiah, but more immediately, that before the Messiah arrives, both these two lands would no longer exist. God says that yes, I have a continuing and redeeming plan for my people. And my plan will be in effect long after your current struggles are over. I hope I can find assurance in that today. God has a plan for my good that will be in effect long after whatever I’m struggling with today is gone. My enemies, my struggles are not long term opponents for Him. They are merely tools of refinement.
Your thoughts?
Todd
“God has a plan for my good that will be in effect long after whatever I’m struggling with today is gone. My enemies, my struggles are not long term opponents for Him. They are merely tools of refinement.”
Todd, how true! In the uncertain days that lie ahead, I pray we will remember this. When the spiritual and financial economy of our world collapses, when God’s people are faced with world-wide persecution and oppression, when masses of people are deceived by a few, when freedom is crushed and it appears darkness has overcome the light . . . when the scenario Jesus described in Luke 21 unfolds before our eyes, then let us remember Jesus’ words of hope in Luke 21:28 (ESV):
“Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Thank you for this reminder Todd. it’s a truth that I sometimes struggle to hang on to lately. In the last 6 months God has given me strength I never knew I could have and I know I couldn’t without Him. He’s used this time to bring all that is not good about me to the surface to rid it from my life and He’s working on refining all the rest to shape me more and more in His likeness. I’ve found such joy in walking through this process hand in hand with Him. I know that He will bring me out on the other side of all this hurt in a way that will display His holiness and His beauty. He will turn it all into something good for His glory. It’s just amazing how He does that and I love Him so much.
I’ve worked with gold for a lot of years, so I know how hot things have to get for gold to be purified. And it’s HOT!!
Something else though, not everyone turns to God through the difficulties. Some people’s hearts become hardened.
*May we be sensitive to His teachings, His guidance, and His heart.*