Today’s Reading:
Isaiah 51
1 Corinthians 1
Hebrews 11
“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, Who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were hewn And to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father And to Sarah who gave birth to you in pain; When he was but one I called him, Then I blessed him and multiplied him.”
Isaiah 51:1-2 NASB1995
I heard the Spirit of the Living God say,
Look away from yourself. Look to the rock from which you were hewn. You come from a substantial background. Your life, your faith and your very being is the fruit of the faithful ones before you, of the ones who labored and pioneered and built before you. You are a child with a birthright and a history of faith, of walking with Me. If the ones before you had not walked by faith, you wouldn’t be here today. You would not be where you are today.
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
Hebrews 11:8-12 NASB1995
Look not to yourself. And don’t look to others whose paths you have not known. Look back to the rock from which you were hewn. Recall the great stories of faith that got you here. Remember the heroes of faith that paved the path for where you stand today, and then you can say and truly mean that you have grace for another who is far from Me. Then you will remember the refrain that you once spoke quite frequently, but for the grace of God so go I. Choose to trust Me. Choose to obey Me. Choose to recall the history of your faith, going back hundreds and even thousands of years. Recall the price that many paid to ensure the message of the Gospel was preserved and shared. And then look with eyes of compassion on those whose hearts have not yet been swept up in love for Me.
Brothers and sisters, consider who you were when God called you to salvation. Not many of you were wise scholars by human standards, nor were many of you in positions of power. Not many of you were considered the elite when you answered God’s call. But God chose those whom the world considers foolish to shame those who think they are wise, and God chose the puny and powerless to shame the high and mighty. He chose the lowly, the laughable in the world’s eyes—nobodies—so that he would shame the somebodies. For he chose what is regarded as insignificant in order to supersede what is regarded as prominent, so that there would be no place for prideful boasting in God’s presence. For it is not from man that we draw our life but from God as we are being joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. And now he is our God-given wisdom, our virtue, our holiness, and our redemption.
1 Corinthians 1:26-30 TPT
Return to the joy of your salvation, and recall the effort it took as a baby believer to learn how to walk the straight and narrow with Me led by My Spirit. Don’t take for granted where you are. Today is a day and this is a call to remember what got you here, who got you here and all those saints and faithful ones dating back to the beginning who have been part of the unbroken chain that led to you being right here, right now in the Faith. Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and don’t take your faith or current position for granted.
How to Respond
- Worship is a proper response. Celebration is a proper response. Joy overflowing is a proper response to the Lord God who made you, who formed you in your mother’s womb and placed you on Earth for such a time as this. Be grateful.
- Pray, Lord God Creator of Heaven and Earth, thank You knowing me and creating me before time began. Thank You for having a place and a time and a purpose for me before I was born. Thank You for the great heritage of faith I have that traces back to Abraham, the father of our faith. Help me to live in gratitude for all that has taken place for me to get here to this moment, and help me to live with grace for those who do not know you yet. I was once lost, but now I am found. Thank You Jesus for rescuing me.
- Declare, And this fulfills what is written: If anyone boasts, let him only boast in all that the Lord has done!
— 1 Corinthians 1:31 TPT - Decree, Great is your faithfulness Lord. You have performed so many miracles just so that I would be here on Earth right now. I am in awe of Your mastery and Your wonder working power. I will live in gratitude. I will live with a fresh and purposeful recollection of how far You’ve brought me and of the work of the many saints who pioneered the path that I now walk today. I will give grace to those who don’t yet know You, and I will live in full joy as I bless Your Name.
For more encouragement from The Glory & New Wine, check out the post from this day in years past:
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2021:
