day 22 (bonus)
I WILL PRAISE
Isaiah 43:1-2
But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob,And He who formed you, O Israel,“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;I have called you by name; you are Mine!“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,Nor will the flame burn you.
daily devotional
To worship in the waiting is still choosing to declare God’s goodness even when life feels full of dark days. It’s in the dry seasons, when feeling deserted and in the valley of shadows where fear abounds, when you begin to truly understand the depth of your faith.
When life is squeezed and pain and problems overflow, what is one to do?
Consider the disciples, who were in the boat with Jesus, as the wind began to rage. As the waves began to crash and the boat began to rock, the night air was surely filled with screams of panic rather than confident patience.
But -- Jesus was in the boat.
They had no reason to fear.
The eternal One, who was present at creation, was with them.
The very One by whom, through whom, and for whom all things were made was in their boat with them.
Here’s a truth for us today.
Jesus is in our boat with us.
His Spirit lives within us. The very Spirit that raised Him from the dead resides within us. He created us, chose us, and called us. We belong to Him.
Surely, we can believe the promises of scripture.
Surely, we can claim truth like: NO weapon formed against us will succeed.
Surely, we can believe that our God will condemn every tongue that accuses us in judgment.
Surely, we can KNOW that this is our heritage in the Lord Jesus, and just as God made this declaration over His people in Isaiah’s day, surely, we can claim and declare this promise over our lives today.
We belong to Him. He is with us in every moment.
We are never beyond His reach and never out of His sight.
This is why we can rejoice, believe, pray, and be thankful in every season.
Even through hardship, consequences, suffering, dry seasons, sickness … we can wait for, and trust in, the Lord of our life!
He is our Provider, our Keeper, our Sustainer, and our Hope.
If you are currently in a dark night… wait.
If you are currently in a dry season… wait.
If you are currently in a desperate place… wait.
Wait. Pray. Give thanks, and praise.
Praise Him in the battle.
Praise Him in the storm.
Praise Him when the wind and waves rage.
Praise Him in the diagnosis.
Praise Him in the dark; declare His goodness and faithfulness and wait on Him.
Let there be no impatience, no problem, no pain, no seemingly unanswered petition … let NOTHING steal your praise.
Worship in the waiting and continue to praise Him.
He isn’t late, but He’s on His way.
PRAYER:
Thank you, Father, that I can trust You, no matter what. Forgive me when I fail you in my impatience. Forgive me when I seemingly lose heart and hope. My flesh is weak, so Father, please, minister to me in my inner man. Build my faith. Pour out Your Spirit over and in my life, filling me anew. May my mind and heart be overwhelmed with the fruit of Your Holy Spirit today as I wait.May Your joy be the strength of my heart.