Isaiah 65:1–9
I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask, to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that did not call on my name. I held out my hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and offering incense on bricks; who sit inside tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat swine’s flesh, with broth of abominable things in their vessels; who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.” These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all day long. See, it is written before me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will indeed repay into their laps their iniquities and their ancestors’ iniquities together, says the Lord; because they offered incense on the mountains and reviled me on the hills, I will measure into their laps full payment for their actions.
Thus says the Lord: As the wine is found in the cluster, and they say, “Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it,” so I will do for my servants’ sake, and not destroy them all. I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah inheritors of my mountains; my chosen shall inherit it, and my servants shall settle there.
Reflection
Do you seek God or do you forsake God, that is the question. God wants us to seek him, even to the point of making it obvious where he is. God shows himself to us daily in many ways both obvious and sometimes a little hidden just for the surprise. God shows himself to all people, both those seeking and those forsaking.
The actions of the Israelites aren't any different from the actions of people this day. Think how hurt God must be when the people that once followed him and the people that once would seek him with all their heart turn into people that forsake God. Think of how this hurts the relationship. God desires to love us and we who once were with him, turn away and do our own foolish, selfish, sinful things right in the face of God.
But God is steadfast in love. I don't know why. In my experiences with this I can't stand it! I want to love, but love is so hard when the person that you care for and love forsakes you. I have a deep respect and honor for my God who still declares his presence when he is forsaken. I don't see how God's love is this tolerant.
The description in this passage of how God must feel fits exactly how I have felt when someone I love forsakes me. But somehow God has the patience to wait and seek the wine in the cluster. God knows that good can eventually come from the bad. That goes for all of us. How God has the patience to wait for this to develop is beyond me. It's a characteristic I need to work on myself.
But at what point do we come into this picture. Do you seek God or forsake God? Count me in as one who seeks God. I know there are times when I forsake God. Those times are usually when I'm in the midst of my sin. But thanks be to God, he has always been there waiting for the wine from the cluster when I finally come around in repentance. And thanks be to God, he is there in the midst of my sin declaring loud and clear... "Here I am, here I am!"
Prayer
Lord, today I seek you. I seek your will, your way, your desire. I seek you and give my life to you. Direct my footsteps this day. Speak your language of love through my mouth this day. Guide me that I may point to you to all you give to me... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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