Christianity Oasis Forum

[Lani]

Isaiah 55:1-11
1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.


“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her. Luke 1:38 (NIV)



Like every young woman engaged to be married, Mary must have had many dreams and plans. But suddenly everything changed in her life with one special visit – a visit from the angel Gabriel.

The angel was the messenger of the biggest news Mary had ever received, the news that she would be the mother of the world’s savior, Jesus Christ. Though she questioned how this could be, Mary did not protest the great event that would affect her life from that moment on. Instead, she placed herself in front of God and said, “I am the Lord’s servant.”

We probably will not have angelic visitors, and we will not face news as momentous as Mary did, but we will face changes – sometimes big changes – in our lives. We make plans, we dream, we carry out some of our dreams, but suddenly something happens and everything is different.

Sometimes it is difficult to accept these changes. I want to face them as Mary did, trusting that God is at work when I am puzzled and even disturbed. Though God’s ways are not our own ways and God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, (see Isa. 55:8) we can trust God’s love and unfailing presence with us.



Prayer: Beloved God, when life is going as we plan and when it is not, help us to yield ourselves to what you want to do in and through us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayer Focus of Day: Someone facing sudden upheaval

Thought for the Day: Even when life unsettles us, we can trust that God is at work.

Story shared by: E Dornelas (Brazil)
Source: Upper Room Daily Devotional:11/27/11