Wednesday 9 November 2011

Wake Up!


For the LORD has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep; he has closed your eyes, you prophets, and covered your heads, you seers.

The vision of all this has become for you like the words of a sealed document. If it is given to those who can read, with the command , “Read this, “ they say, “We cannot, for it is sealed.” And if it is given to those who cannot read, saying, “Read this,” they say, “We cannot read.”                                                                                           
Isa.29.10-12

It seems to me that these words apply to much of the world today. God acts, but people do not see God in the action. Indeed, they don’t want to see God anywhere.

The instance from Isaiah is where God has shut off recognition of His doings from humanity. His work is like a sealed document which, when offered for reading and understanding, is met with one of two responses. Either the recipient cannot read or they see the document as sealed and themselves unable to open the seal. The result, either way, is that God’s work and His participation in human affairs is not seen. Consequently it cannot be recognised, nor accepted or encouraged, nor sought.

I would suggest that much of the world today is closed to God and unwilling to allow Him in, unwilling to look to Him for His way. Can I do anything about this?

On a small scale I can be encouraging to those who seek my help. Perhaps these are “the converted”, but we can all benefit from Godly support and, if I am open to Him, I know He will work through me to assist others. So I can be willing to be used by Him in those times He orchestrates. And I can pray. Against the immensity of the perceived task my prayer really can count. I must not be deterred by thinking I am too small. I believe God hears every prayer. If I withhold, then the prayer will not be offered, and He will not hear or respond.

Apart from the world, I have choices to make in my own life and actions. Such choices are part of the fabric of everyday living. It would be helpful if I could say, once and for all time, “Lord, let me be fully open to You. Let me lay my life before You to be led by You. Let me see clearly and hear unhindered what You would have of me. And let this be so for all time.”
Sadly, I know this is not the case. Whilst I believe I read quite well, I sense there are times when I might say, “Don’t ask me to read this, for I cannot read.” There might also be times when my response is, “Lord, this is sealed, and I can’t break the seal.”

My prayer is that there will be no impediment of my making to prevent God leading me and having His way with me. I pray that He will bless me to see all I need to see, with no vision hidden because I am in a “deep sleep”. I pray for alertness to all that God may be doing.







Holy God,

I come to You in thankfulness for a new day and the opportunity to live this day in You.  I offer myself to be used by You. My strong desire is to serve You. I lay my life before You and invite You to lead me into Your purposes. Let me neither construct nor allow any impediment that would keep me from Your will for me. I boldly ask that You bless me to see mighty things in and of You. May I travel deeper into You? May I be privy to divine secrets previously undisclosed to me?

I cry out for the salvation and sanctification of the world. Draw us back to You, Lord. Use us as You will to minister Your amazing and unlimited love to those who desperately need it, but can’t see the source.

You love the world. Lead us forward to a fuller life in You, in Jesus, name I ask.      Amen.

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