“Listen, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you.” Isaiah 46:3-4
Recently, my dear friend “Martha” announced the wonderful news that she is expecting. Her ornery but fabulous husband, “George,” sent me a text this morning. After congratulating him and rushing off to work, I got to looking at the Scriptures on my desk. Someone at church gave me one of those sets that has a Scripture or passage on a card for each day of the year. At any rate, I’d sent my students to their art class and was flipping through the cards. I know, you are supposed to read one a day. Sometimes that’s like trying to eat only one Pringle. Anyways – the second one I read was Isaiah 46:3-4. I didn’t get any farther in the stack. There are so many things in this small passage that astound me! First, God Himself is speaking to us. God – the creator of the universe – all mighty, ever present, all powerful, God, speaks to us. Even more amazing, that He would speak to me. As the Psalmist said, “Who am I that He would consider me?” Me and all my faults, quirks, questions, etc. etc. Us… All of us! He wants to speak to me, to you, to us all! No matter where we are, where we’ve been, what we’ve done. He loves us and longs to have a relationship with each of us. He goes on to tell us He has upheld us since we were conceived, carried us since birth. Again, WOW! Again, I think of a Psalms – 139 that speaks of us being “fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Last night I was captivated as I watched an interview with Nick Vujicic. This man was born without arms or legs. He does have one foot with two little toes on it. After the interview he spoke to a group of 7th and 8th grade students. He has written a couple of books and has shared his life’s story with thousands. He kept referring to the fact that God had made him with a plan and that God makes each of us with a plan. I was amazed at this man’s faith, the peace of God that flowed from him, and Nick’s positive outlook on life. Sure, he has struggled mentally, emotionally and spiritually at times in his life. However, he really seemed to have a better understanding of the fact that God has a plan for himself and each of us than most. Just this week, from sheer exhaustion, I found myself telling the Lord, “Remember your promise – ‘as your days, so will your strength be?’” Nick Vujicic seems to live in the fact that God has carried us since birth… AND HE WILL CONTINUE TO SUSTAIN US.
That’s the other part of this passage of Scripture that is so mind blowing! He wants to continue to sustain us and even carry us through this life. So, I think back to dear “George and Martha” and the new life growing inside of her. God is knitting that precious life together. He already has a plan for that dear child! He will uphold and carry them throughout life… If they let Him. I pray he or she does! I pray little “Martha” or “George” (help us all if that’s the case! HA! JK, George!) will allow God to carry him or her throughout their life! As adults, that really is the challenge sometimes. We try to carry ourselves. We depend on ourselves and sometimes others more than we do the very one who formed us in our mother’s womb. We don’t have to! Life can be overwhelming – definitely draining sometimes. God wants to sustain us. He wants to speak to us, to love us, to work and move in our lives, to carry us through the dark times and rejoice with us in the victories. So, if you are tired, weary, or just going through a really awful time in life – take heart! Let God carry, you! Jesus said “come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
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