Hearing as Jesus recounts His experience and story in Isaiah 50 verses 5-7, made me ponder. I listened closely and heard Him say (paraphrased):
“Yes, God speaks to me and when He does, I listen. I hear Him and I don’t turn away from what He says to me. He reveals His heart to me when He speaks and I see who He really is. I see His faithfulness. I see the depth of His Love for me and I see that I can absolutely trust in Him and depend on Him. Therefore, I know He will help me through this ordeal and pain so I don’t need to be perplexed and I won’t be. That’s why I have set my face like a stone, determined to do His will because I am confident that He won’t let me down and I won’t be ashamed in the end!”
Wow! Can I honestly say I share the same level of confidence in God? Can you? He further went on to say in the next verse, (still paraphrased), “THE ONE WHO JUSTIFIES ME IS NEAR, so don’t think for a moment that He is far!” Oh, my knuckles! That definitely knocked my socks off! I don’t know about you my friend, but it ruffled my feathers that the man Jesus was so sure of God’s nearness to Him through His distasteful journey to the cross and more so, that God was His justifier.
To be justified means that God has acquitted someone from all blame, condemnation and guilt of sin. He has declared such a person as righteous and blameless before Him, putting them in right standing with Himself and He has also glorified him/her.
Now God knew each one, had predestined them; called them; loved them and had pre-planned their lives way ahead of TIME itself. Which explains why they were declared righteous, justified and glorified when they responded to His love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ, (Romans 8:28-30).
So, God is watching over these (like He was watching over Jesus) to ensure that everything works out together for their good according to His purpose and design. Which is that they should be moulded into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ and become like Him. Because He had planned that Jesus will become the firstborn of His new family and we who believe in Jesus, become His brothers and sisters.
That means if Jesus our big brother, the firstborn among the righteous, is God’s heir, then, we are also heirs along with Him! (Romans 8:17) Amen! It means we are partakers of the same inheritance as Jesus in the Father’s kingdom.
WE ARE CO-HEIRS WITH JESUS CHRIST OUR BIG BROTHER, AND ARE PARTAKERS OF THE SAME INHERITANCE WITH HIM IN THE FATHER’S KINGDOM!
Although believers will joyfully partake in the glorious and vast inheritance with Christ, they’ll also have to share in His sufferings too. Really? How so?
Yes, believers are to partake of the sufferings too, not just of the inheritance. But, the good news is that no matter how bad and hope-defying those situations may be, THEY’LL BE NOTHING COMPARED TO THE GLORY THAT WILL BE REVEALED IN US; FOR US AND CONFERRED ON US! AMEN!
More so, it will be BEAUTIFUL,
IT WILL BE WORTH THE WAIT AND
EVERY PAIN AND EVERY STRUGGLE
WILL PALE IN COMPARISON TO THE GLORY AND JOY WHICH LIES AHEAD. Hallelujah!!
THE LORD GOD, OUR FATHER WHO JUSTIFIES US, IS NEAR US AND HE WILL HELP US!
Here is His encouragement in Isaiah 51:1(paraphrased)
He says, “Listen, you who follow righteousness, you whom He called; you whom He chose; you, His beloved whom He calls righteous,
Look to the ROCK (Jesus Christ) from whom you came; from whom your new identity is drawn. Look to Him, He’s your example. Consider what He went through and see how He is now glorified, seated at our Father’s right hand!
Although He had to give the Smitters His back for whipping; had to endure the pain when the hair was plucked off His cheeks; had to endure the shame and spitting, among other things. Still, He endured and eventually triumphed. He won! He was glorified! Elevated and promoted!
Now, He has the Highest name in heaven, on earth and even beneath the earth;
He is seated at the right hand of the Father, far above all;
He is the Head of all principalities and powers;
And all power belongs to Him…
So look to Him and be encouraged. Let His story and example inspire you. He neither resisted nor fought back because He knew God’s thoughts and heart towards Him. He trusted in God’s plans for Him and knew that the forever faithful God WILL HELP HIM (Isaiah 50:7).
Look also to Abraham, your father, whom God called alone but He blessed and increased him. He made him plenty and enlarged his coast so much that all the families of the earth are blessed through him(Acts 3:25).
Look to Sarah, your mother as well, who received physical strength to conceive a child although she had passed childbearing age, because she judged God faithful! She considered that God who had promised her was RELIABLE, TRUSTWORTHY AND TRUE TO HIS WORD (Hebrews 11:11 AMPC).
Look at all of them, consider them and be encouraged. For this is what the Lord God, your Father promises:
- That He, the Lord will comfort Zion (slot your name in there)
- He will bring comfort to all the waste places (ie, will restore ALL your losses and revive your ruins)
- He will make the wilderness, (the dry, empty, “nothing-alive” places of your life) like Eden
- And the deserts (your barren places) will be like the Lord’s garden, full of life and fruitfulness
- He’ll transform them into places filled with joy, gladness and exuberance.
- Praises and songs of thanksgiving will be found there (ie) you will sing new songs and you will rejoice! (isaiah 51:3)
I declare it shall be so for you in Jesus name. Amen!
PRAY WITH ME
Thank you, Lord, for your encouragement today. I ask that you help me focus on you and draw strength from you Jesus, my Rock, in the most vulnerable times of my life. Thank you for your promise of victory, comfort and elevation at the end of the trying times in my life in Jesus name, I pray. Amen.
Shalom, my friend,
Lots of love & Blessings,
Adenike.