Thursday, January 13, 2022

AWAKE! AWAKE!

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 51-52

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

 

Sunrise over the Sea of Galilee. Jesus made His home in Capernaum, which is located on the north end of this Lake. His habit was to awaken and pray even before sunrise. Like the rays of early morning light break through the clouds, so we should expect to receive God’s Word for the day. Psalm 119:130a tells us that “THE ENTRANCE OF YOUR WORDS GIVES LIGHT!!!”

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

 

Key Verse: Isaiah 52:7

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

 

Three times in today’s reading, God’s people are told, “Awake! Awake!” Three times God speaks through His prophet Isaiah and says, “Listen to Me!” God wants our undivided attention! Whatever it takes to move us to bring the Good News of Jesus is beautiful in God’s sight, even our feet! The “Good News” in today’s reading is that Messiah (Christ) will come to us. His feet, beautiful because of the message He brings, have brought Him not just to the mountains seen in the above picture but to those places where each one of us have experienced His “Peace,” His “Good things,” “Salvation,” and the fact that “God reigns!”

Isaiah wants to be wide awake and listen to the message of the One who has come to be a Servant of mankind. Specifically, he tells us about the death of the Messiah, and the total surrender that would take Him to the Cross and render Him unrecognizable because of the beatings He suffered. “His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of man” (Isaiah 52:14). His beautiful feet were nail-pierced, as was the practice in Roman crucifixion. Read Psalm 22:14-18 and Luke 23:33-49.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I pray that I will be fully “Awake!” You’ve reminded me six times about this in today’s reading. You’ve also reminded me three times to “listen” to You! I’m awake and I’m listening. You are telling me that I am to have the beautiful feet of one who, like Messiah, has the responsibility to bring the Good News to everyone I meet, and that I must support those who go to the end of the earth to bring that Good News to all! I ask for grace to sacrifice my resources, my time, and my very life in Your greatest of all causes. I pray in the Name of the One who has gone before me, Jesus, Messiah, Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

There were eight beautiful feet that brought Wallace, Douglas, Delbert and Merrill to that grade 12 high school classroom, where I watched their lives carefully from September to November that fall. Not only did they pass my tests for what a true Christian should be, but they shared the “Good News” of Jesus with me. The previous summer, I worked full time for the local Chrysler dealer and then part time during the school year. There were beautiful feet there too. The witness for Jesus was strong! I knew the Gospel, but as a result of my mother’s death when I was 12 and my father’s departure when I was 15 for his mission field in Egypt, I had run away from God. After grade 11 high school in a Christian boarding school, I was informed that I was not welcome to return to that school, because of my rebellion. Therefore, I ended up living with my oldest sister and her husband, moving to Pembroke, Ontario, and meeting people who, along with my sister, brought me “Good News,” “Peace,” “Glad tidings of good things,” and who proclaimed, “Salvation!”

With my time, energy, resources, and all my heart, I want to do the same for others! I may have more time to give. I definitely have more energy, and I have some resources to give.

Yours for feet that bring “Good News!”

David

10 thoughts on “Thursday, January 13, 2022

  1. There is a great rendition of “Our God Reigns” with lyrics by Israel Houghton in a Google search. I just love that worship song that we would all sing heartily @The Peoples Church in Toronto years ago! It is so foggy here in S Ontario today with very high humidity. Looking forward to some sun tomorrow. Blessings all.

  2. Thank you Doreen and Beverley for that beautiful song “Our God Reigns” by Israel Houghton so enjoyed the praise and worship music.

    He certainly does reign.

    Have a bless day 🌸Carole🌸

  3. Coming into agreement with David’s strong message that us Christians need to awake awake for we are living in the last days and we need to be ready for Christ’s return
    That our churches need to awake awake and the end times must be preached more now than ever
    Blessings to all my fellow bloggers today amen ❤️👍

  4. Late, but not too late. Thank You, Father, for the beautiful feet of those who brought, who bring, Your Word to us. Take us all, Lord, and use even us to bring Your Word to others, in Jesus’s great name, amen

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