April 25, 2022
(Singing)
I just came to praise the Lord. I just came to praise the Lord. I just came to praise his holy name. I just came to praise the Lord.
Thank you Yahweh for another day. You’re the only one that can extend life. You’re the only one who can tell the sun to shine or the moon when to rise. And I am honoured beyond words that you take the time to tell me when to get up. That you care so much about me that you do. Yahweh, thank you. Beyond words, thank you.
Two very interesting questions/statements:
Isaiah 63:5 – I looked, but there was no help. I was astounded that there was no outside support. So with my own power I won a victory. My anger supported me.
Isaiah 63:17 – O Lord, why do you let us wander from your ways and become so stubborn that we are unable to fear you? Return for the sake of your servants. They are the tribes that belong to you.
The idea that Yahweh is looking around for help is amazing. Why was he looking for help when he is God? He doesn’t need help.
But he desires ours. He has asked us to partner with him and there was no one willing to do so. No one was there to be his hands and feet so he did it himself because it was the appointed time. “The year of my reclaiming you has come.” Isaiah 63:4(b).
Even though we were nowhere around to help, the time had come. Yahweh’s timing is truly not our timing and whether we prepare ourselves, whether we partner with him or not, at the appointed time he will do what he has to do. He is coming to announce his victory, because he is powerful enough to save us. Even in our impudence. Because it’s only impudence will ask of Yahweh, ” Lord, why do you let us wander from your ways and become so stubborn that we are unable to fear you?” Isaiah 63:17(a). How can we blame Yahweh for us being stubborn when it is our own hearts that insisted on doing its own pleasure?
Huh. It’s a lament. Kinda like when we would ask a friend who is usually quite straitlaced, “Why did you let me do that?” When we know full well that the friend would have said, “don’t”, would have tried to stop us, but we were determined. And now there’s regret for the actions. What did we just do? It’s not so much a condemnation of Yahweh as it would want to look, but regret that we did such nonsense even though we were warned and pleaded with. We still stubborn.
But even in our stubbornness there is hope because Yahweh caused us to remember our past. The highlight reels of the times he showed his power. The other times he saved us even though we were stubborn and complaining. Even though we strayed so far out parents would not be able to pick us out in a line up. But you can. Because you are God. You are our Father above all. You are our Redeemer. Yahweh, redeem this nation. We are stubborn, hard-headed, cocky, lovers of ourselves and we feel like we don’t need nobody. But we do. You don’t need anyone, but you desire our help. We need you for our very breath and we move as though we can do it all on our own. Yahweh save us from our rampant stupidity. It seems that we no longer belong to you, but we do. We are your people.
Please save us – from ourselves. From our hardened hearts. Save us from our conceit and our deceit. Save us from those who would take your name in vain because (the truth) we did not do what was right. Soften our hearts to you. Help us to hear you again and to honour your word. Because you are God. You are my father. You are my defender and my redeemer.
Thank you for not basing your actions on ours. Thank you for moving because of your faithfulness and not ours. Because nothing we do will ever compare to you. Would ever stand against you. You are perfect in all your ways. Thank you for saving us. Thank you for loving us so much more than we can even think or imagine. Thank you for who you are. I love you Yahweh. Thank you for covering me.
