God comes in thunder and quakes

ISAIAH   CHAPTER 64

Isaiah tells the people that if God burst forth from the heavens and came to earth, the mountains would quake in their presence. And as fire causes wood to burn and water to boil, his coming would make the nations tremble. Then the enemies of the Israelites would learn the reason for God's fame. When he came down long ago, he did awesome things beyond the highest expectations and the mountain quaked. For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen this God who works for those who wait for him. He welcomes those who cheerfully do good, who follow in his ways.

But as humans, we are not godly. We are constant sinners, so God's anger is heavy upon us. How can we be saved?  Our sins, like the wind, sweep us away. No one calls on your name or asks for mercy, so you must have turned away from us and turned us over to our sins.

Yet Lord, you are our Father and we are the clay and you the potter. We are formed from your hand. Don't be angry with us Lord. Look at us and see that we are all your people.

Your holy cities are destroyed, even Jerusalem. The holy Temple where our ancestors praised you, has been burned down and all things of beauty are destroyed. After all this, you still refuse to help us? Will you continue to be silent and punish us?

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: When Moses met God, there was a thunder storm, smoke and an earthquake. His power today would overwhelm us.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? Don't you believe sincerely that if God were to come to us today, he would come midst thunder and an earthquake? I do. And his glory would overwhelm us because our righteousness is but a filthy rag compared to his infinite righteousness. Some of the messages in this chapter are geared toward the unrepentant person, not the true follower of God. Also it seems that the Bible flip flops its chapters. One minute Jerusalem is being saved and will flourish and in the next chapter we are back to a Jerusalem in ashes.

Sometimes the time frames get mixed and it makes the Bible difficult to read. But rest assured that the point is still the same. Even in our time, God can show tremendous mercy and passion to sinners. He never gives up on us. He is and will always be the Most Powerful Lord.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:



HEALTH: Pray for Gabe.


Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.


Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and for her sister Wanda’s soul which went to heaven.


Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with a form of MS.


Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.


Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.


Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.


Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.


Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.


SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary


RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John


LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian


SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.