November 25 | Isaiah 44:2-5, 21-28

pmann79
Nov 25
2 min read

DAILY READING

REFLECTION

Don't You Forget It

By Pam Mann

In Isaiah 44:21, God speaks to Jacob (and to us): Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you; you are my servant; I will not forget you.

Even in the ancient world, though devoid of social media clammer, God instructs His chosen to challenge negative self-talk and to think what is true. Face reality. Don’t be afraid. God is who He says He is and you are who He says you are. Don’t you forget it. God doesn’t.

Who is God?

Isaiah explains in this passage that God is your Maker and your Helper. He is the One who pours out His Spirit on Jacob’s descendants like water on thirsty land that then sprouts grassy meadows and poplar trees by flowing streams. Thanks to Jesus, we’re adopted into this blessed family. God is the One who never forgets us, who sweeps away our sin like the morning mist. He is the One who made all things and causes creation to rejoice. He is the One who foils the signs of the false prophets while fulfilling the words of His prophets. Ruins He can restore and the watery deep He can dry up. Even Cyrus king of Persia is in God’s hands and will be used to do God’s will. Nothing stops our God.

Who are you?

Isaiah 44 sheds light on that, too. You are formed by God, redeemed by God, chosen by God, Spirit-filled by God, remembered by God. You are God’s precious servant.

You serve a mighty God. What He says goes. Maybe not right this minute. In fact, maybe right now, your life is in rough shape. Maybe you’re regularly running into people who would rather give themselves to vain pursuits (idols of their own making) and their lives are looking pretty good. That’s when we reconsider what Isaiah 44 says. We shake ourselves and refuse to give ourselves to idols which we ourselves have made.

No! No idols. There is no God besides the Lord Almighty. All the other things that would take God’s place in our lives are so inferior and impotent compared to our God that it’s laughable. No, we will not make false gods. We will confess falsehood; we will embrace God’s sweet forgiveness; and we will look to God who made us to make a way for us.

Don’t fear what’s ahead. Like your past and like your present, your future is already in God’s mighty redeeming hands. Don’t you forget it.

PRAYER

Lord God, permeate our hearts and minds that we might soak up the truth of who You are and who we are in You. Let us not forget.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PAM MANN

I first joined UALC when my husband (then my fiancé) and I were college students involved in youth ministry. God has used UALC to nurture our family’s faith, even in our years outside the U.S. I’ve participated in UALC ministries with kids, art, prayer, exercise, ESL, and Bible teaching. I do all the fun church things.