“…no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.” Isaiah 54:17
The last Saturday and also the last day of November. This passage from Isaiah may cause some people in our fallen world to imagine that by claiming to be a child of God will make you invincible; no weapon or angry tongue will harm you. I have not found this to be true yet in my life as I have been on the losing end of a few beatings and have received the lie filled lashings of several tongues. After the evil in this world has beaten you down and you have picked yourself up from the dirty floor, don’t ask God “why did this happen?” but rather look for the blessing that will come from this event; a lesson or quality of yours that will be improved because you did endure the suffering from this world.
The weapons and lies will not prevail; the blessings that come from our Heavenly Father will be victorious. This month and next month are typically months when the vodou priests in Haiti are very active seeking out young lives to overpower, conquer and use as sacrifices in their vodou ceremonies. People in our sinful world “why do we waste our money feeding children in Haiti?” and I ask you to look into the eyes of these two girls from a Lutheran school in Gonaives, who learn more every day about their risen Savior. Their young lives are in danger from the evil foe that resides in the vodou temple.
A few years ago, there was a news article that told of the police in Port-au-Prince discovering several severed heads of children in a vodou temple and a bag with school uniforms in another room nearby. The weapons and evil of this world may cease their earthly lives, but more importantly their Heavenly Father has called them home to be with their risen Savior Jesus Christ. How important is the relationship that we have with our Heavenly Father when times of trial come along our journey? Are you ready for the day when the call to come home will arrive un-announced to your door?
Thank you for helping to prepare the children in Haiti to learn about our risen Savior and continue to share the message with ears that have not yet heard. The hymn ‘Softly and Tenderly’ was written by Will Thompson in 1880 and it’s words close the devotion with a reminder we are being called and as we heed His call we also strive to help others to also hear His call.
“Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me; patiently Jesus is waiting and watching, watching for you and for me! Come home! come home! Ye who are weary, come home! Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling, O sinner, come home! Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading, pleading for you and for me? Why should we linger and heed not His mercies, mercies for you and for me? Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing, passing from you and from me; shadows are gathering, death-beds are coming, coming for you and for me! Oh, for the wonderful love He has promised; promised for you and for me! Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon, pardon for you and for me!”
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you,
Jay