Isaiah 50:2
“...Is My hand so short that it cannot ransom? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, I dry up the sea with My rebuke, I make the rivers a wilderness;...”
One morning, in the parking lot before work, I was reading Is 50:2. I paused and looked up. I saw the trees that were once dry, now with beautiful blooming cherry blossoms.
And I heard the Lord say to my spirit, What I can do in creation, I can do inside of you. The impossible was right before my very eyes. What looked almost like death, became over time buds growing into beautiful flowers.
Sin brings forth death ( James 1:15 ). This can happen anywhere. At work in a conversation, I can start caring what a person thinks of me more than what God thinks. At that moment, I’ve chosen to kick God off the throne of my heart and tell Him in my fear, “You are not ruling here.” And a little bit of spiritual death has begun in my heart.
We can bow to any sin. Maybe it’s not timidity or fear you struggle with. M find when God uses you, you tend to look down on others. It may be, when your household first began, you had a kindness about you. Now struggles have stacked up in your busy home and you’re more irritable than gracious. You have warmth and compassion when you talk to the neighbors or your church members but there is a bit of ice flowing on your tongue when you speak to your spouse or your children. Kindness has grown cold. Love has grown cold ( Matt.24:12 ). Or you’re just ungrateful to God for all He has done. Spiritual death has creeped in.
Whatever sin these “giants” reveal themselves to be, there is tremendous hope for those who appreciate God’s hand and power in their lives! They take part with the Holy Spirit’s work who excavates huge mounds of pride and self out of their heart. They don't quit, because the ONE who can help them remove those things carries the weight of the work. They value the work God is doing inside of them. They go from strength to strength because of the grace and refreshment God gives them ( Ps.84-5-7 ). Difficulty may increase but they focus on the hope more than the pain of being in the fire. They are convinced that every tough thing that comes their way from a person or situation, God can make them better, more like Jesus. The devil may be on their tail but everything he tries to do, God can turn it into a glorious glimpse of His son Jesus. Even just a simple attitude of thanks or joy that God is with them. His love is their hammock. Even in hardship. To the praise and glory of His matchless grace!
I love the Lord's question in vs.2 Is My hand so short that it cannot ransom? Or have I no power to deliver? ( Rom.6:14 / 1 Cor. 10:13)
On the cross of Jesus, God proved His arm was not so short to pay the ransom for those who would believe. God has power to deliver from the worst of sins! It is possible, by the Holy Spirit, to live self-controlled in any circumstance. He has power to help us overcome that which nailed His Son to the cross, our sin. Hearts that were once filled with pride, bad moods and God replacements are slowly but surely being filled with humility, thankfulness and dependence upon God. What once looked like death, God can bud into a beautiful flower for Him to enjoy.
That can be a very powerful word, not for the well, but for those who know they have a sickness called sin. They know they have deadness in their branch. And will have it till Jesus comes back.
So, how is it possible for us, who are sinners, to experience the power of God?
Moment by moment, we can humble ourselves and be honest to God about our specific sins (2 Chronicles 7:14). In faith, we can pray, Lord I repent of every known sin today and believe You (1 John 1:7-9)! Father, please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and help me by Your grace to move mountains of fear, pride and whatever sin in me! I die to my will right now (Romans 8:11). Father, Your hand is not so short to deliver! If You have dried up rivers, clothed the heavens with blackness ( Is. 50:2-3 ), given life to dry bones (Ez.37:1-14 ), You can make a dry branch bloom beautiful flowers for You, in my life! By Your amazing grace and according to our faith, it will be so!
What God can do in creation, He can do inside of us!
Is. 61:3 To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.