For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15
People are often glorified when they carry fame, power, and extraordinary talents. If not born into it, hard work and sacrifice is usually the price they pay for the gains. No person in the history of mankind has worked and sacrificed as much as Jesus and yet little credit is given to the One who deserves it all and then some. His Word says:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. Lk. 4:18-19
Jesus says to us: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Do you believe Him? Jesus gives and gives and continues to give. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous alike. He sends His Word out daily to heal and to deliver us in the here and now. His grace is more than sufficient for us. We don’t have to want or need the affirmation of the people around us and we don’t have to want or need to work for God’s love. The hope branded in the name of Jesus empowers us to love any and all, far and near, and in every season.
Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. The substance of faith is something not to be trifled with as it is the seal and the guarantee that our hope is real. Our hope is not man-made, it comes straight from heaven and poured directly into our hearts by the Holy Spirit of God. This hope is sustained by the reality and quality of our relationship with God. On His end, God gave us His best, He gave His Son so that we would come to know the magnitude of His great love for us. His hope, therefore, can never disappoint. Our hope is found in the ultimate sacrifice and in the glory of God’s resurrection power.
Every ounce of Jesus’ blood was poured out to speak against our depravity, the depths of darkness, and every level of injustice, sickness and disease. He comes to us today saying: I give you the gift of my glory. My glory gives you resurrection power, forgiveness, restoration. My glory releases the only kind of love that truly sets you free, to protect you, to guard your heart, your identity, and your mind. Jesus speaks to us saying, I want to hold you in the midst of your pain, frustration, and sadness because out of darkness comes my light. I can harness any level of darkness to bring about a transformative work in you. The hope I give is tailor-made for your every step, my Word is your light and the only solid anchor for your soul.
Let us abide in Jesus. There is nothing we could ever treasure more but the special encounters and surprise visitations from our heavenly Father when we intentionally place Him first. It’s a wonderful thing to pray as you go, in the car, while caring for your children, working to and fro but there’s something truly special when we ask God for some “You-and-me-time”. When we are quick to seek out and receive those pockets of time to spend with our Dad, He comes in the fullness of His grace and peace that we so desperately need in the busyness of life. He arms us with a listening ear to receive wisdom and understanding for the day ahead. Let Him be the builder of your home and all that it represents so that you don’t have to anxiously strive, stress, or work in vain. Let Jesus take over and He will save you from the unnecessary with time to spare.
Let us enjoy Him and rest in His presence. It’s in the stillness of our attitudes that says “without You I can do nothing, but with You all things are possible and within my reach”. Even in our sleep, He works to give us everything we need for the day ahead. May we glorify Jesus with a renewed perspective and ask that our hearts be filled with an imperishable hope that leads us to rest in His victory, today.