Have you no respect for me? Why don't you tremble in my presence?
Isaiah 5:22
Isaiah 5:22
What poignant questions for the Lord to ask His children? They have seen His wonders and experienced His power. They have felt felt His compassion and been the recipient of His everlasting love. His great plan for their nation has come to fruition, giving them more than they could have asked or imagined. He has freed them from bondage and rescued them from their enemies. Why didn't they have respect for Him? The Israelites had been the beneficiary of all His provision and protection. How could they not tremble in His presence?
Wendy-you have been the beneficiary of all my provision and protection. You have felt my compassion, experienced my everlasting love. My plans for you are coming to fruition in perfect time. How can you have so little respect for me? Why don't you tremble in my presencea anymore? I, the Lord have defined the ocean's sandy shoreline as an everlasting boundary that the waters cannot cross. (v22) What else do you want from me?
The Lord refers to this place of forgetfulness as a crossroads. How do we get back to the place where it once all began? I know you remember the place as well as I do. The Lord's presence was an aroma we longed for. Our eyes could see His works all around. We were keenly aware of the beauty of His creation and celebrated it with passion. This was a time when we ran to Him with our heartaches and in our happiness. We came to him just because.
Can we get back? Oh yes, and Jeremiah tells us how. Jeremiah 5:16
"This what the Lord says, 'Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old godly was, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for our souls.'"
Unfortunately for the Israelites, they rejected the Lord's invitation to change directions at the crosswords. The scriptures says they paid Him no attention. I pray the same will not be said of us. Let's return home to the grand presence of the Lord with great respect. He always welcomes us back!
8 Comments:
Dear Wendy, I know God has filled your spirit once again because this post was written especially for me! I did my reading and then I read your verse which started off your post. Hmmm, I thought, "I don't remember that verse!" Yes, I opened my Bible back up, & oh, I had lots of notes in my margins, lots of verses underlined, lots I wanted to write about today, but this verse was not underlined or noted at all!
Then, I read the rest of your post!
Wendy, God once again spoke to me through you! Once again I knew how much He loved me. Once again I could feel His compassion.
Yesterday morning I was preparing to go on my prayer walk, and quite honestly, I did not feel like praying! It was scary, as I've not experienced this before. I was having one of those "woe is me" attitudes. Feeling like all I ever do is take care of everyone around me--extended family mainly. Also, feeling lonely, as I'm going through a period in my life now, where those I'm used to "hanging" out with are just not on my page. The conversations that once seemed inviting, now seem empty. Hard to put it into words, but I just feel like all of a sudden everyone around me is different. I know there is a fine line, that I'm here to model Christ, and to show Christ by showing them love. Well, I've been doing that, but, for some reason I began complaining to God on my walk! {Now, sisters did we not, just talk about complaining last weekend! :)} As I began walking, I felt sorry for myself. It's the first time I did not pray for others'. But, I knew that God knew my thoughts {thank you Jesus!} so I felt led to spill the beans to Him. I poured out my heart to Him, then, I begged forgiveness. Then, I poured out my heart again--I guess I had more to let out! But, humbly, I knew how wrong I was and I told him how sorry I was for having these complaints. I began thanking Him. Now, this period of time took about 1 12/ hours. The last 1/4 or so, I listen to my ipod...and a little piece of heaven came down on me. Sisters, I could feel Him! He allowed me to hear a song that put hope in my heart! Just to show me that He was still there in my presence! I had a smile on my face again! Then, coming in the front door, I noticed the time and was led to turn on Joyce Meyer's morning show. (This is not part of my routine, so looking back I know it was God, once again!) As I was cooling down and peeling off my wet clothes :) the first words out of her mouth were something like:
We talk way too much about how "we feel," and TRUTH over-rides our feelings! The enenmy will tell your mind, "you feel...." Oh, my gosh it was a 30 minute talk on the subject I had just went through! I praised God for the sprinkles that he poured over me through this lady! The song he allowed me to hear was the icing on the cake, but, because He is soooo good, he gave me some sprinkles too! Ladies, I went from a "woe is me attitude," to feeling JOY from the Holy Spirit.
Then, I read this post! I so understand how they could leave His presence! After all He did for them (thank you Wendy for sharing all of this) how could they loose respect? Well, it's easy to do! I slipped off His path yesterday morning. In His mercy, He drew me right back to Him. Now, it did take over an hour seeking Him and crying out to Him...but it is possible to get back to the place where it once began! We have to choose to GO DEEPER, as Joyce reminded me yesterday! Seek Him. Cry out to Him. He will come back! He longs for us! Turn our feelings over, not listen to the enemies lies, and SEEK TRUTH!
The song was perfect Wendy...
It's all about you Jesus! I'm sorry Lord, I'm coming back to You! It's all about You.
Well, now, I'm off to walk again and today I'm in the mood to pray!
:) Enjoy his presence!
aahaa, the conference begins today! Lifting ya'll up in prayers! Thinking about you guys!
Love you all. Lori - AZ
Wendy, I love Jeremiah 6:16. The NIV encourages us to look for the "ancient path". The Message calls it the "tried-and-true" road. Oh Lord, keep me walking on Your path.
Your thoughts were similar to mine today although we highlighted different verses. The verse that captured me was "Let us live in awe of the LORD our God..." Jeremiah 5:24
When was the last time something took my breath away? What caused this pause? A dazzling sunset? Majestic mountains? Listening to an orchestration of the "Messiah"? Pictures of the Grand Canyon? The roar of thunder? The birth of a newborn baby? These things capture my attention because of their magnificence. In comparison to me, they are so much greater. In their grandeur I see how small and weak I am.
What exactly is "awe"? Webster's defines it as a mixed feeling of reverence, fear and wonder, caused by something majestic, sublime, sacred etc... It refers to profound respect inspired by the greatness, superiority etc. of a person or thing and suggests an immobilizing effect. This deep respect is mingled with love.
OK. I'm reading this verse again.
"Let us live in awe of the LORD our God..."
Live in awe? At times I experience awe, but is my life characterized by being alive with awe? Am I captivated, moment by moment by God's majesty and greatness? Does His presence move me so powerfully that I can't help but remove my shoes and kneel in humble adoration of a God so great? Are my thoughts held by the wonder of my King?
I believe the enemy to awe is comfort. We've become so casual with God that it's driving our awe away. A mystery of God must remain. In our yearning for intimacy in our relationship with God we must still remember His majesty. Familiarity removes reverence of the Holy. Although I desire intimacy , there must still be an "otherness" about God. We can't allow the miraculous to become the mundane.
Lord, I want to live in awe of You. Not a fleeting, emotional response, but a lifestyle of recognizing You As Lord and Savior.
I stand in awe of You.
Praying He'll take my breathe away today,
Joy
PS. I'm part of the "She Prays" team this weekend. Know the Lord is going to do "awesome" things at the conference because He is there!
PPS. Lori, thanks again for our "visit" via computer yesterday. You are a blessing!
Good Morning Ladies,
As always you have blessed me this morning with your comments. Wendy I marked the same verses you did.
I have been feeling weary lately and sometimes feeling as though my daily time with God is another thing on my "to do list". I am struggling right now with some minor health issues. I have an extreme B-12 deficiciency ( my levels are less than half what they should be) and I am on a daily B-12 complex as well as a weekly injection. Despite this ongoing treatment (about 2 months) my levels aren't rising. So I am very tired all the time. Add to this the fact that my son's and my sleep are interrupted three times a night by an alarm to get him up to go to the bathroom (we're working on bed wetting), and I feel that I can barely function some days!
Lori I can relate to you, because I had a similar experience on my "prayer walk". (I love this term-hope you don't mind me adopting it!)I was exhausted and didn't feel like praying much less walking, but I dragged myself out the door nonetheless. Selfishly, I asked God at the beginning of my walk not to let me come into contact with too may people that day.(As I mentioned before I have committed to praying for the people I encounter on my daily walk). I didn't have the energy for all this extra praying - I barely had the energy to thank God for his many blessings and to pray for the people in my own Life! Of course immediately after asking God for this favor I encountered someone. In fact it seemed as though I was passing an unusual amount of people that day! I try to get up very early everyday in order to have uninterruptd time with the Lord. First I spend about an hour in his word reading, studying, and meditating and then I go on my prayer walk before my husband leaves for work (Sam is usually up by then). But the past week or so I just have not been able to get it together. So I put a movie in for Sam while I read and then I get my teenager to watch him while I walk. I have been very irritated with myself about this. However, because I have been going on my walk much later in the morning, I have been walking past a young mother and her two children-also on their daily walk-for the past several days. But this paticular day I was really mad at myself for not getting up early. I had told myself that I would get up when the alarm went off- at the very least I would hit snooze a couple of times instead of turning the alarm off. Again, that day, I encountered this family. I don't think I have mentioned this before, but I have a passion to minister to young wives and mothers. It is very personal to me and I want to be able to help them by leading them to develop their relationships with God at an early stage and to be the praying wives, mothers, role models and examples He would have them to be. When I saw this family once again, it was if God was saying to me, "Carmen, everything happens for a purpose. If you had gone on your walk earlier you would not have prayed for this young mother and her children or for any of the other people you have prayed for this morning." Now of course I don't know specifically for what I was praying for any of these individuals, but I do believe God put them in my path for a purpose. And I kmow this is one more reason I should not take my relationship with him for granted but instead "quiver in His presence!"
Joy I am with you in prayer for the conference! Praying for His presence, peace, joy and love to be poured over everyone involved and all of the loved ones who are sacrificing for them to be there!
Blessings,
Carmen
P.S. If anyone has any wisdom on the bed wetting issue, feel free to e-mail me at carmen@ lairdfam.com-smile! its been a few years since I've had to deal with something like this!
For those praying for us at She Speaks, let me tell you what is happening for me:
I feel His calmness, as I stand in quiet stillness,
My heart can feel the beauty my eyes are taking in.
I can silence some of my hunger, for His understanding and purpose,
It feels like He touches me with ever hug that I exchanged.
My pain although present is not my focus,
His mighty daughters have gathered and they are on fire in North Carolina. Keep praying for us ladies. Oh, how I wish you were here!
Plan now for next year if that is what the Lord lays on your heart.
I hope to post pictures on my blog tonight after 10.
Hugs Diane
Hollar to Kristen, just met her checking in.
Oh Diane...thank you for the update here. SOOOOO precious!!!! Missing all of you like crazy this year, but knew the Lord wanted me home in this 'season'.
Can't wait to see more of your pics!
Hugs,
Joy
Bless you Diane for giving us an update. PTL our prayers are being heard! I could feel His presence coming right off my screen! Amen!
I've been praying that the sparks would be lit, and it sounds as though it's happening! A blazing fire dear Lord, where Your Glory is shining ever so brightly! Jesus, it's all about YOU! Oh, that every lady present would be filled to the brim with God's love this weekend!
Tight hugs coming your way Di~ give Wendy & Kristen a big one from me too! :) Blessings, and thank you again for the update!
Honored to be praying for all of you, Lori - AZ
Some of you are talking about your ".prayer walks." Well, I have "drive-walks." Anytime I leave the house, I pray for every person in every vehicle I pass, for everyone in their homes. Then I pray for everyone in the homes I pass, Then for every business I pass, for the persons that work there, and everyone who will be in their business this whole week. Then I pray for every church in the county/ies that I happen to pass through, especially for the preachers, that the Lord will fill them with power from on high, for all the church leaders, then for every person who was in church the last Sunday through the next Sunday, that the Lord will lead all of these people to a saving knowledge of Him, and a closer walk with Him.
When I watch TV,which isn't much, I pray for every person involved with making the programs, and the commercials on every cable, satletite, network, local, and any other kind of channel (to make sure I haven't left out anyone), then for every person who is watching these programs and commercials, that all of them will come to a saving knowledge of Christ, and a closer walk with Him.
I hope to someday to meet some of these people in Heaven someday.
All of you sisters sure do bless my heart every day with your comments. Some day WE will all meet in Heaven, too.
Jan Hobbs
Blessings to you all on this Saturday Morning!
Today we see the Lord doing what He said He would do. Since Jonah's preaching, the Ninevites choose not to teach their children about God. They returned to their sinful actions. Several generations passed where God was not their focal point. (Ex 34: 7b-"Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished. He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."
Truth's we read about today~
GOD IS:
1. slow to anger, & His power is great. 1:3
2. He is a refuge for those who trust Him. 1:7
3. He never lets the guilty go
unpunished. 1:3
Through Nahum, God forewarned Nineveh! 3:1, 7, 19,15,18.
And, in the end, this once mighty city was destroyed; it failed to exist any more. God said it would, and it happened.
The King James Version takes an additional meaning to verse 1:1, and has left me with so much to think about! It states, "The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite." We don't know much about this man, Nahum, but we do know that He was chosen by God to carry this burden. This is a very strong word with deep meaning! This vision was given to him by God. When I looked up burden, it said: carrying a heavy load, caring for people, emotionally difficult to bear, under great worry, stress, & requiring effort, a difficult duty, carrying the prophecy of a devastating and disastrous event.
I wonder if we are meant to also carry this burden for all the sinners in today's world! I mean to really care about the sinners!
We know God is going to do what He says He will do. We know the end of the world and its destruction will take place. In the meantime my hope is to carry this burden as Nahum did. To pray more like Jan mentioned as she drives around in her car, or like Carmen mentioned as she walks by people. I hate to say, that it is a rarity that I spend time praying for people that I don't even know. I'm diligent to pray for family, friends, and friends of friends...but for complete strangers! I have lots to think about today. I don't know about you guys, but my heart is pretty heavy right now. Today's reading has pierced right in me!
Lori - AZ
PS Lifting up the Proverbs 31 team and sending prayers your way.
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