The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 5:3-4,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad?"
In his song of the vineyard, Isaiah quotes the Lord as saying the above. As the Lord prepares to judge the people of Jerusalem and Judah for turning their backs on him, he challenges them with the question of what else could he have done for them in his pursuit of them as his people?
I am mindful of the same question the Lord could ask of all the world in reference to him building his kingdom today. We know that everyone has been invited to God's family, and yet only a few will respond - most won't. Jesus said, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14. In John 3:19-20, Jesus tells Nicodemus why only a few find the gate into God's family, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed."
But, what of God's efforts? As we look at all that God has done to make a way for us into his family, it is astonishing. First, of course, is that he sent his Son to die a miserable death to pay the penalty for everyone's sins for all time, for all people. In this he has satisfied his pristine sense of justice in offering us a place in his family. He has sent his Holy Spirit to draw people to himself, "When he [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment..." John 16:8.
God has provided the world with his word through prophets that produced our Bibles. Within its pages God tells us how we can come to know him, how to reach out to him, how to find him. It is within its pages we learn of God's unfathomable love for us and his desire that we choose him to have a place at his table.
God draws us to himself, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day." John 6:44. In John 12:32 Jesus said, "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." He does this through his gospel that he sends into the world through evangelists he has raised up himself, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." Romans 10:17. Who brings that message? "And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'" Romans 10:15. God sends them!
God has sent his Son into the world to make a way for us into his family. God has sent his Holy Spirit into the world to make a way for us into his family. God has produced his Scriptures and had them sent into the world to make a way for us into his family. God has prepared a message for us, the gospel, that he has sent into the world to make a way for us into his family. God has equipped and raised up evangelists with his gospel in hand that he has sent into the world to make a way for us into his family.
God desires all people everywhere to join his family, "God our Savior... wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:3-4. God is incredibly patient waiting and hoping all will come to him, "he [the Lord] is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9.
As in Isaiah's day, it is my firm belief that a question floating around on judgment day will be, what more could God have done? Did he not go well beyond all expectations to draw us to himself? Did he not make every effort to bring to his family all who wished to enter it?
On judgment day there will be no complaint that God had not done all he could to save any and all who were willing. Those who don't make it will not make it simply because they were unwilling. What a terrifying reality!
In his song of the vineyard, Isaiah quotes the Lord as saying the above. As the Lord prepares to judge the people of Jerusalem and Judah for turning their backs on him, he challenges them with the question of what else could he have done for them in his pursuit of them as his people?
I am mindful of the same question the Lord could ask of all the world in reference to him building his kingdom today. We know that everyone has been invited to God's family, and yet only a few will respond - most won't. Jesus said, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14. In John 3:19-20, Jesus tells Nicodemus why only a few find the gate into God's family, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed."
But, what of God's efforts? As we look at all that God has done to make a way for us into his family, it is astonishing. First, of course, is that he sent his Son to die a miserable death to pay the penalty for everyone's sins for all time, for all people. In this he has satisfied his pristine sense of justice in offering us a place in his family. He has sent his Holy Spirit to draw people to himself, "When he [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment..." John 16:8.
God has provided the world with his word through prophets that produced our Bibles. Within its pages God tells us how we can come to know him, how to reach out to him, how to find him. It is within its pages we learn of God's unfathomable love for us and his desire that we choose him to have a place at his table.
God draws us to himself, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day." John 6:44. In John 12:32 Jesus said, "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." He does this through his gospel that he sends into the world through evangelists he has raised up himself, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." Romans 10:17. Who brings that message? "And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'" Romans 10:15. God sends them!
God has sent his Son into the world to make a way for us into his family. God has sent his Holy Spirit into the world to make a way for us into his family. God has produced his Scriptures and had them sent into the world to make a way for us into his family. God has prepared a message for us, the gospel, that he has sent into the world to make a way for us into his family. God has equipped and raised up evangelists with his gospel in hand that he has sent into the world to make a way for us into his family.
God desires all people everywhere to join his family, "God our Savior... wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:3-4. God is incredibly patient waiting and hoping all will come to him, "he [the Lord] is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9.
As in Isaiah's day, it is my firm belief that a question floating around on judgment day will be, what more could God have done? Did he not go well beyond all expectations to draw us to himself? Did he not make every effort to bring to his family all who wished to enter it?
On judgment day there will be no complaint that God had not done all he could to save any and all who were willing. Those who don't make it will not make it simply because they were unwilling. What a terrifying reality!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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