"...so is my word that goes out from my mouth..."

Tonight was a late night for various reasons, and by the time the younger two kids were showered and in bed, it was nearing 10pm. I read Eliana a very short board book, tucked Christian in (he was looking extremely tired), and waited for Michaela to finish getting ready for bed. She was finally done washing her face, brushing her teeth, and taking care of her ears (she got her ears pierced while we were in Florida), so I went into her room and turned off her lamp so that I could get her tucked in as soon as I could. It was really late and she has to babysit in the morning.

Just before she walked in her room, I noticed out of the corner of my eye the new devotional book and the Bible on her desk. I knew she would want to do today's devotion. I hesitated, and then I walked over to pick it up. I flipped the lamp back on. I sighed.

What an attitude! How could I be so...I literally can't think of the right word. Neglectful? 

She got in bed and I turned to the right page. And guess what? Of course I was blessed. I should never, never, never pass up an opportunity to read God's word. I should never, never, never think that something else is more important than God's word. 

Yesterday, part of the Scripture reading in the book was Nehemiah 1-3. Yes, chapters 1-3! The book we went through the last couple of years often had several verses, which I liked, rather than just one verse. When I was checking out something new to start for this year, a lot of the books I looked up and read reviews on were more like just one verse a day, and a quick devotional story or lesson. I wanted something that would give us more Bible to read, and would hopefully be on the meaty side. So when I told her that the passage was three chapters, she laughed and said,"Well, you wanted more Scripture!" 

Tonight we were to read Nehemiah 4-6. Nehemiah was pretty fiesty. And because of his fierce determination and unwavering trust in the LORD, the Israelites finished rebuilding the burned-down city wall in 52 days. 

Did you hear that? An entire city wall in 52 days. That? Is incredible! But isn't that what God does? Incredible things. 

A few days ago I read in Reordered Love, Reordered Lives about how Jesus, during his time on earth, went about showing "that the restoration of shalom was on the way." (90)

Jesus was moved to redemptive action to salvage a world wrecked by sin and death. Sinners needed forgiveness. Falsehood needed correction. Diseases needed curing. Demoniacs needed deliverance. Hunger and thirst needed satiation. Storms needed stilling. Death needed defeating. Life needed restoring. A short report on Christ's ministry in the book of Acts informs us that Jesus went about doing good, being full of the Holy Spirit and power (cf. Acts 10:38). In him we see the kingdom of God in dynamic action, the renewal of abundant or bountiful life, and the coming of a new creation. Paradise in Christ is regained....Jesus came to redeem the world and to give meaning, fulfillment, and purpose in life to his disciples in his kingdom here on earth right now. (90, 91)

I mention this because I often find myself thinking along these lines: Why didn't Jesus help everyone he met? Weren't there still people in the towns he visited that stayed sick for one reason or another? It's easy for me to start thinking that God could do more incredible things, couldn't he?

There is an idea that is in my head, but it's one of those ideas that won't take a word-shape. I think, though, that the answers to those questions lie mixed in and woven through what David Naugle has to say about why Jesus came, God-among-us, Immanuel. His arrival as a babe, his life as a carpenter, his ministry as God's son in flesh, had to happen so that we would know that the hope of Heaven is real. He became a human, and showed us what we have to look forward to: the complete reversal of all the curses since we first thrust God's provision aside and thought we knew better what might bring us happiness. In his incarnation, the reversal was begun. When he comes back, and when all is gloriously renewed, the wonderful taste of hope that we have had will be followed up by the most incredible banquet feast of hope realized, more wonderful than we could even imagine. 

I'm afraid that I'm not saying clearly what I mean to say...it's stuck somewhere in between my cerebrum and my fingers. There is one thing that is not muddled at all though: there is never not time for reading God's word. I can thank my daughter for that lesson tonight. 

Isaiah 55:8-11

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.
¹⁰ As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Comments

[Missy]

"There is an idea that is in my head, but it's one of those ideas that won't take a word-shape" and "stuck between my cerbrum and my fingers" are two phrases that I not only completely understand, but am going to have "borrow" at some point in the future. Kay? ;) (Attributing, of course, these brilliant words to you, good author.) :)