God's Divinity

Receive
Today's passage: Isaiah 55:8-13.

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."  Isaiah 55:10-11

Reflect: 

Do I truly care about God's thoughts and ways? Do I truly believe that His direction can make a concrete difference in my life? Am I willing to read the Bible with an open heart and mind in order to discern what God wants from me? God is clear about how He see His Word working in our lives. As the rain nourishes the soil, feeding plants and crops that will grow to sustain those who harvest them, God's Word nourishes our souls, feeding us so that we will grow and flourish and sustaining us through periods of drought and difficulty. What's more, God's Word contains a specific message and specific direction for each of us. Scripture illuminates the purpose He has for us on this earth. His personal message is contained within the pages of the Bible. We must seek that direction first in order to be led by it.

Respond: 

Ask for change: Lord, I know Your holy thoughts and ways are far beyond my limited human ability to comprehend. Yet I also know that You gave me Your Word as a means to grow closer to You and understand what purpose You have for me. Help Your Word mold my life into what You intend it to be.

Consider what's real: Sometimes we try to "get through the Bible" instead of letting the Bible get through to us. Today, try to slow down as you read; perhaps even meditate a bit on the verses. As Henri Nouwen says, "Meditation means chewing on the word and incorporating it into our lives. It is the discipline by which we let the written word of God become a personal word for us, anchored in the center of our being."*

Additional verses to consider: Isaiah 55:1-7
*Henri Nouwen. Spiritual Direction: Wisdom for the Long Walk of Faith. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2006.  Ron Moore