"I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD who call you by name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob My servant's sake and Israel My elect, I have called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me. I am the LORD and there is no other; there is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, that they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other."
Isaiah 45 2-6
Yahweh Shalom (The LORD of Peace),
Thank you for another day. Thank you for your love and grace, thank you for forgiveness that allows us to tap into your presence and receive what only You deserved... peace! Lord as I study and read more about you I am even more grateful for the fact that the Hebrew word for peace (which is shalom) actually means completeness, soundness and welfare. That has such a greater meaning than what I have known it to stand for in my ignorance. That is simply and utterly amazing to me. You are utterly amazing Lord! I love you so much! I am grateful because I was down but You lifted me. Thank you for holding me when I lose strength to stand. Thank you for accepting me back when I forsake you or get distracted and start looking at things other than You. I appreciate how kind and gracious you are to me, but I know that my appreciation comes from my awareness of Your wrath and how you are equally as destructive in Your righteous anger as you are tolerant with your mercy. So, thank you for allowing me to grasp the concept (and understand the fact) that I am deserving of continual death because I am not holy, perfect or blameless and that is Your general standard... I would fall short on any given day because even my righteousness is as filthy rags in comparison to an incomparable and uncorrupted God. My life is only spared because You saw fit to send Your perfect Son to live a perfect, sinless life and die, the way I deserved to so He could exchange my record for His when I die. It is only my belief and trust in this extremely humble and loyal occurrence that I am allowed anywhere near Your presence and I have the utmost gratitude as a result. Thank you for Jesus, without Him I would be doomed to an eternity of death. Always being in the process of dying and it never coming to an end. *sigh* That is so awesome and admirable. You are mighty but You haven't destroyed me! Hallelujah! The only God who allows His people to have relationship with Him instead of forcing them to do works and be "good" without them even knowing for sure if they will make it into heaven/paradise or not. But You, offer a way for us to be sure of where we are going once this life on earth is halted. You not only hear us, but You speak back to us. You have plans for us, You long to be part of our lives though we are so small and should be insignificant to You. I love you! I praise You! I am eternally grateful to you! I ask that you would empower me to spread this very message of hope and grace to the nations! Equip me with spiritual gifts that will crush Your enemies heads! Train me to be so keenly in tune with Your voice and move that I will use them correctly and accurately. It's in Jesus' precious, but matchless name I do pray.
Amen
