Isaiah Chapter 42
“I have held My peace a long time, I have been still and restrained Myself.”
How often have we slipped into the state of being oblivious to the Lord. When God remains quiet and still, we think that all things are well. When in actuality, God is seething within Himself as He suffers heartache of seeing His people going astray and acting foolishly. Not recognising nor following His will but acting contrary to things that He desires to see in us – righteousness, justice and mercy. As Peter reminded us in 2 Pet 3:8-9,
“But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promises, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
The danger in not recognising the severity of this statement is that we often, in our own wisdom, think that there is still time to act. We may be lulled into a state of complacency, thinking that since God is forbearing, let us push our luck. So long as we repent and turn back at the last minute, rush in just before the door closes, everything will be all right. If everything is within our control, perhaps things may turn out well and good.
However, we do not know about tomorrow, much less what is going to happen in the next moment. The risks involved is too great. Losing salvation and receiving the brunt of God’s fury and wrath. It is so not worth it. Let us quickly heed the call of the Lord –
“Hear you deaf; and look you blind, that you may see.”
However, God who searches all things, know full well the heart and intent of all men, charged us with these warning.
“Seeing many things, but you do not observe, opening the ears, but he does not hear.”
“Who among you will give ear to this? Who will listen and hear for the time to come.”
Let us not turn to Him superficially. The behaviour and outcomes of the Pharisee’s in Jesus’ time, aptly describe to us, what we ought not to do. They flock around Jesus, not to listen and follow His words, but rather to seek opportunity to justify their actions as well as to seek occasion to fault Him. They claimed that they see and understand the things of God but are in fact, in God’s eyes, blind and helpless (refer to John 9: 39 – 41, Matthew 15:14)
God laments that His people are blind servants and deaf messengers, people who would not walk in His ways nor be obedient to His law. Are we also counted among them? Or are we true disciples of Jesus, bearing His image and one in whom God’s soul delights in.
