Good morning all! Father, we know that You are always present and forever watch over us. As we face the uncertainties of life, help us to not forget the power of Your love and the strength of Your hand, Amen. We all forget stuff at times, usually the after effects are fairly benign. But what happens if we forget about God?
Isaiah 17
Isa 17:6 KJV – Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel.
There are only a few left, when you shake the olive tree you’ll find 2 or 3 berries in the highest branch, and 4 or 5 in the longest, says the Lord God.
Isa 17:7 KJV – At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.
And in that day we start to look at our Creator, and we SEE He is the Holy One that rules our lives.
Isa 17:8 KJV – And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.
And we will NO longer look at our sacrifices and the things we do to serve God, nor will we look at whatever we think we’ve done for Him, nor will we plant and care about false images.
Isa 17:9 KJV – In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation.
In that day their cities will be just like a forsaken forest, the enemies of Israel will no longer be present: it will be left desolate.
Isa 17:10 KJV – Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips:
This has happened because we FORGOT about God, we were NOT mindful of the Rock of our true strength, and now we plant what we think will be pleasant from and set it in a strange place.
Bottom line
Throughout the course of our days we might not always have God top of mind, right? There’s no intent or malice, it’s just the normal evolving of our day. In this passage here, it would appear that the church had forgotten about God…they were NOT mindful of His strength. So, the issue isn’t that they forgot about God altogether…they forgot about His strength. Is there a difference? Many folks believe in God, they may even go to church and pray…the question is do they have His strength? Or did they forget about it? According to these verses the church was making sacrifices and they were doing the Lord’s work, so what’s the problem? Looks like right after they forgot about God’s strength, there was a PLEASANT plant in a strange place? Sounds harmless…always does.
Isa 5:7 NLT – The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. The people of Judah are his pleasant garden. He expected a crop of justice, but instead he found oppression. He expected to find righteousness, but instead he heard cries of violence. We are the vineyard in a strange place, it’s strange to God because it’s NOT based on His truth…makes sense it would be strange to the God of all truth, right? God planted a vineyard so He expected a CROP of righteousness…instead He got bloodshed and cries of unfair. How did that happen?
Gen 3:6 KJV – And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat. I did what pleases me, it’s based on how I see life and determine what I think is fair. In fact, I actually think I’m doing the Lord’s work and I know I’m right in the eyes of God, only me? Really we forgot about His strength. And what is God’s strength?
Sng 8:6 NIV – Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. It’s LOVE. God’s love for us is stronger than death, it burns like a mighty flame. What makes a flame mighty? Hmm…what if it burned forever? What if it was eternal? I mean if you can put the flame out…it ain’t so mighty, right? Which brings us back to the issue with the church here, they forgot about God’s strength. This produced a vine that had 2 or 3 grapes on one branch and 4 or 5 on another. Now, keep in mind God did remove this vine, why? I believe it’s based on UNCERTAINTY in our life. Now, I just told you God’s strong because He loves us always…NO uncertainty. So, if we’re going to church, making sacrifices to Him, how are we forgetting God’s strength? Sometimes I love and sometimes I don’t, sometimes I forgive you and sometimes I don’t…you live a life of uncertainty…you forgot God’s strength. I mean really, the power of God dwells inside of you and you don’t love? You don’t forgive? That’s NOT God’s strength, that’s us doing what’s pleasant in our own eyes NOT God’s eyes. The only way to be mindful of God is to love others, let it be a mighty flame that nobody can put out…don’t forget!
Point to Ponder
Does God forget? Isa 49:15 NIV – “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! Not possible, He has compassion and He will sustain us always.
Let’s not forget the power of His love, In Him Phil
Faith – Family – Friends
