my Father's Day

"Let the Moabite fugitives stay with you; be their shelter from the destroyer." The oppressor will come to an end, and destruction will cease; the aggressor will vanish from the land.
is. 16.4

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.
1 john 3.8b

isn't it incredible how Jesus came to fulfill what was written about Him hundreds, even thousands, of years before He was born? our hindsight is 20/20, so our view is much different than what the people in isaiah's era experienced. their oppressor/aggressor vanishing meant that a king or ruler would have to die. guess our understanding isn't much different. Christ had to die, and be raised to life, in order for the devil's work to be destroyed. and what a relief it is to live under the new Kingship!

when i was reading this verse in isaiah, the part that mostly jumped out was this statement, 'be their shelter from the destroyer'. too often i feel that we as Christian are not living up to what we are asked to do. we are wonderful at making up every excuse in the book in order to justify our actions or lack of actions, but the truth remains that we are called to rescue people from the flames. and i am guilty to the 9th degree about making excuses. 'oh i don't know if i should say something.' 'i'm too busy to run over to their house.'

and my prayers can be mighty wimpy, too, 'God, you know the struggle they are going thru; please help them. amen.' if that were the conversation between me and a close friend - that close friend would ask, 'what do you want me to do?' -be specific. 'do you think that is God's best for them?' and hopefully many other question before running off and intervening. i claim that i know Jesus, and the He is a close friend. so why would the be any different than me speaking to a person with skin as opposed to Christ who sits at the right hand of my Father?

my Jesus,
i say that i know You, but i'm so quick to not take Your advice. You are the greatest Counselor ever, and yet often i choose to do as i wish - ignoring the wisdom You've offered me. Jesus, i desire to be a shelter for those who are being tortured/pestered by the destroyer. please give me wisdom and motivation to go out of my way for them. lay heavy on my heart those who need Your guidance, Your grace and Your love. You are the best friend i could ever ask for. You know me inside and out, and yet You want to hem me in, behind and before. that rocks! thanks for this beautiful father's day. this is Your day. let me glorify You today, Dad. i love You.
in Jesus's Name ~ Amen.

*my dad *Cheryl *Burke