November 15, 2018
My dear Brothers and sisters in Christ, I greet and bless you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The blessed word that God has given for you today is from the book of Isaiah 43:1,2 “But now, says the Lord who created you, Jacob and He who formed you, Israel:“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.”
The word “Created” denotes that God chose the People of Israel and made them for His own purpose. God says,” I am Yahweh – the creator of Israel, your King.” It is He who has made us. God emphasizes that Israel belongs to Him. He not only created but also formed him. He formed Jacob to become Israel.
God, like a sculptor, chisels and shapes, pricks and cuts the statue until it is in perfect shape. Similarly, He uses all the methods possible to mould a person to the kind of personality He wants them to be. While this is in process, the person undergoes pain, affliction, struggles and all kinds of infliction; only then can he be made perfect. Until then, God keeps moulding the person.
Jacob did go through disappointments and failures in his life. He was cheated by his own uncle to whom he went for refuge. Jacob loved and wanted to marry Rachel but Laban gave Leah, his eldest daughter in marriage to him. Laban also did not pay Jacob his full wages he had to . Laban cheated him by changing his wages ten times. Laban through envy and covetousness often broke his wage agreement. God wanted to change his character, and wanted him to be more spiritually oriented than an ordinary worldly (character) man.
So God changed his name to that of Israel and made him a great nation of twelve tribes. Through all these afflictions God was preparing him for a better purpose. In the same manner God allowed Job to go through afflictions in order that he might come forth as gold refined in fire and the Lord blessed the latter days of Job, more than his beginning. Likewise, God blessed Jacob, who went with only a staff and he returned back to his father’s house with two companies.
God assures to be with you while you pass through the through the rivers, the water shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. Therefore, God says, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.” God acknowledges ownership of His children. God not only creates you but forms you to the kind of vessel that is acceptable in His sight and usable for His glory.
God bless you.
Prayer:
Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day. Lord we thank you for shaping us to the kind of character you want us to be. We praise you because you acknowledge us as your children and that You have redeemed us by Your precious blood. Help us while we pass through deep waters and when we walk through fire. Bless us as you blessed Jacob. We bless Your Holy Name. In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
