[vc_row height=”small” el_class=”dailyBody” css=”.vc_custom_1465516518912{margin-top: -25px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/4″][us_separator height=”10px” size=”custom”][us_image image=”31398″ size=”tnail-1×1″][ultimate_heading main_heading_color=”#5fc8d7″ sub_heading_color=”#5fc8d7″ alignment=”left” main_heading_font_family=”font_family:Allerta|font_call:Allerta” main_heading_style=”font-style:italic;” main_heading_font_size=”desktop:16px;” sub_heading_style=”font-style:italic;,font-weight:bold;” sub_heading_font_size=”desktop:16px;” main_heading_line_height=”desktop:15px;” sub_heading_line_height=”desktop:22px;” margin_design_tab_text=””][/ultimate_heading][us_separator height=”20px” size=”custom”][us_sharing providers=”email,facebook,twitter,gplus”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text 0=””]
21 Do you not know? Do you not hear?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;
23 who brings princes to nothing,
and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,
scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,
when he blows on them, and they wither,
and the tempest carries them off like stubble.25 To whom then will you compare me,
that I should be like him? says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high and see:
who created these?
He who brings out their host by number,
calling them all by name;
by the greatness of his might
and because he is strong in power,
not one is missing.27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
and speak, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
and my right is disregarded by my God”?
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
-Isaiah 40:21-31
Both parents and teachers constantly have to come down of the level of their children or students in order to teach them the ins and outs of life. When children ask endless lists of questions, good teachers adjust their language and their illustrations to help children understand in a way their innocent minds can process. Good parents don’t expect their children to always understand with great maturity, but instead graciously meet their children in each unique stage of development to help them grow up, in hopes that one day they might reach mature understanding.
God is a good parent and good teacher, too. He comes into our journey and meets us in every stage of our development to help us learn who he is and what he’s like. How do we know this? Because, we believe God is like Jesus. At this point, Jesus is the fullest revelation of God’s character we have. So, when we look at Jesus, we realize God is incarnational – always. It is in his character to humble himself from being the sustainer of the universe to meet people like us in our immaturity, our limitations, and our shame. “God demonstrates great love for us in this, while we were still [lost in sin], Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Just look at Jesus’ chosen disciples. They were no religious experts and by no means perfect specimens, but Jesus used Jewish culture, familiar language, and common life illustrations to teach them about himself and about his kingdom.
In addition, it is in God’s nature to graciously answer our prayers, even if that means he reserves parts of himself so that he can reveal some himself to us. When Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” [God] said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live” (Exodus 33:18-20). God meets us where we are – including whichever time period, culture, and experience we find ourselves in. He shows up in our personal needs and requests in hopes that one day we might mature to see the bigger picture and relate with him with intimacy and depth. Take some time today to praise God for the ways he’s met you where you were at and move you to a more mature place.[/vc_column_text][us_separator height=”25px” size=”custom”][vc_column_text 0=””]
By Yvonne Biel
[/vc_column_text][us_separator height=”25px” size=”custom”][vc_row_inner 0=””][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″]
[/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]
