Yesterday on the South Carolina Acteens page, I posted the following "note," only I didn't indicate or comment on what jumped out at me as I read the passage for myself. I'm going to do that here, indicating my points of interest IN ALL CAPS and then briefly writing my thoughts (in bold parenthesis):
Read these verses slowly and carefully, even if you get bogged down in them or don't know exactly what they mean.
Maybe even read the verses two or three times.
What words or phrases jump out at you? Jot those down and/or share them with other Acteens/Acteens Leaders.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will help you make sense of God's message to you today.
1-4 But now, God's Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob,
the One who got you started, Israel:
"Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you.
I've called your name. You're mine.
When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you.
When you're in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you're between a rock and a hard place,
it won't be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you:
all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!
That's how much you mean to me!
That's how much I LOVE YOU (even though we know that God is love, the words "I love you" don't appear very often in scripture. I love that this says, point blank, I love you."
I'd sell off the whole world to get you back,
trade the creation just for you.
5-7"So don't be afraid: I'm with you.
I'll round up all your scattered children,
pull them in from east and west.
I'll send orders north and south:
'Send them back.
Return my sons from distant lands,
my daughters from faraway places.
I want them back, every last one who bears my name,
every man, woman, and child
WHOM I CREATED FOR MY GLORY (the NIV says "the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise." I think it's interesting that I read this yesterday, after posting the question, "What is the meaning of life?" According to this, it is to proclaim God's praise. Interesting timing, eh?)
yes, personally formed and made each one.'"
8-13Get the blind and deaf out here and ready—
the blind (though there's nothing wrong with their eyes)
and the deaf (though there's nothing wrong with their ears).
Then get the other nations out here and ready.
Let's see what they have to say about this,
how they account for what's happened.
LET THEM PRESENT THEIR EXPERT WITNESSES
AND MAKE THEIR CASE;
LET THEM TRY TO CONVINCE US WHAT THEY SAY IS TRUE (The NIV says "Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together; state the case for your innocence." I find it interesting that God says, "Let us argue the matter together." To me it raises the question of whether or not what we say influences God's decisions. If it does, then it sounds like the person with the best, most convincing argument, wins. And, well, for some reason, that makes me a bit uncomfortable.)
"But you are my witnesses." God's Decree.
"You're my handpicked servant
So that you'll come to know and trust me,
understand both that I am and who I am.
Previous to me there was no such thing as a god,
nor will there be after me.
I, yes I, am God.
I'm the only Savior there is.
I spoke, I saved, I told you what existed
long before these upstart gods appeared on the scene.
And you know it, you're my witnesses,
you're the evidence." God's Decree.
"Yes, I am God.
I've always been God
and I always will be God.
No one can take anything from me.
I make; who can unmake it?"
(The MSG translation)
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