- There will be bare places by the Nile, on the brink of the Nile, and all that is sown by the Nile will be parched, will be driven away, and will be no more. Isaiah 19:7 – Now for us, if the local river around you were to dry up, it most likely wouldn’t rock your way of existing and strip away your identity. Yet, that was the case for the Egyptians here. Even for those who don’t know much about the Bible, they know the Nile and Egypt go together. Here we have God saying what they have found their identity and security in outside of Him would no longer be there for them. If then we were to check our own lives would there be anything that we find more of our identity in than from God? Maybe in the new season we’re all in we’re seeing that some things like job titles, money, or talents that we find our identity in aren’t enough now. Let’s learn in this season the only thing that remains constant when the rest of the world gets shaken up is God. He’ll never dry up or never be driven away. When we lean on Him and find our identity in Him, we too then can stay steady when everything else is shaky. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1220
- In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, 25 whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.” Isaiah 19:24-25 – God’s message through Isaiah is now for Egypt. It begins with a not so pleasant message for the Egyptians, one in which they will truly feel the powerlessness of their many idols and the powerfulness of the one true God. What’s special though is the future message for Egypt. God calls them His people. God brings them together with Assyria and Israel and calls them His own. Which is an astonishing message if you break it down. Egypt was a nation that was idolatrous and cruel for thousands of years, and even put Israel under harsh slavery for hundreds of years. Assyria was a superpower and was known for their uniquely high level of brutality, beyond that of other nations of war at that time. These two, alongside Israel, were being labeled His people, the work of God’s hands, and His inheritance. Maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to determine who God would want as His people. We too could look at people, groups, or nations in our world and determine in our minds that God wouldn’t want anything to do with someone like them. God wouldn’t want that sinful leader…God wouldn’t want THAT nation to be His people…God doesn’t want THEM to be in His family. Except when we see the message of Scripture, we sure see God reaching out and chasing after the ones no one expected Him too. Praise Jesus that we have a Savior who doesn’t listen to us on who to save. If then God would be willing to offer them His salvation, grace, life, and acceptance into His family, why would we be so quick to discount them from such an offer? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2686
Daily DEVO 