"You Are My God"

"O LORD, You are my God. I will exalt You; I will praise Your name, for You have worked wonders—plans formed long ago in perfect faithfulness." (Isaiah 25:1 ESV)

I love reading prophets. The scriptures offer numerous perspectives and understandings of the depth of God's many attributes. Today, in Isaiah’s message, we hear about the eternal nature of God.  Even though this may be written in response to the deliverance of the Jews from captivity, this verse looks far past this to the victories of Christ over the spiritual enemies of humanity and the constant comforts Christ provides to believers through His finished work on the cross.

Isaiah starts this chapter off praising God. Isaiah speaks not only for himself but for Israel, recognizing the covenantal love and promises God made to Israel. With this in mind, the reasons Isaiah praised God are the same as those for which we worship God today, even though we are under the New Covenant. Often, we worship through hymns or psalms without truly thinking or meditating on the words we sing.

Often, we are not prepared to worship, and it is simply a matter of singing. Worship should be intentional. Before worship, we should be in prayer, asking God to prepare our hearts and minds to receive the message in our worship songs and the message of exposition delivered by our pastor. When we are prepared to learn and embrace the truth of the Word of God, it enhances our understanding and facilitates the application of the message in our daily lives.

Isaiah speaks of the plans formed long ago, reminding us of the ancient nature of God’s plans for creation. These plans, formed before the beginning of time, are a testament to God's sovereignty and His perfect faithfulness. We often forget that God knew the end of our time before the beginning. For Christians today, this is crucial to our living in a world controlled by the evil one. Even churches have been infected with his darkness, yet while standing in chaos, we should remember Isaiah’s words as they remind us that God is in control.

God’s sovereignty is the anchor that gives us peace in our lives. His unshakeable plans and infallible timing bring us comfort, knowing that He is always present in our lives. Regardless of the storms we face —physical, emotional, or spiritual —we have the assurance of God’s protection and comfort. He is our ever-present helper, our anchor in life's storms.

In these times, it seems so many are undergoing trials, tribulations, and battles with the spiritual forces of evil. My friends, this should be no surprise. Constantly, shrouded in the world is a war, a spiritual war which, despite having already been won through the cross, continues incessantly. All of these things, evil, sin, rebellion, and the denial of God, are necessary and are under God’s control.

Worship with love and zeal for the Lord and remember the covenant in which you live. In Christ, who shed His blood on the cross as a payment for our sins, resides eternal life. This victory through Christ should empower us and fill us with hope.

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, I urge you to seek Him now. His salvation is the most important decision you can make in your life.

Grace and Peace.