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Strange Love

Read

The Lord Will Punish the Guilty

1 I, the Lord, was ready

to answer even those

who were not asking

and to be found by those

who were not searching.

To a nation that refused

to worship me,

I said, “Here I am!”

2 All day long I have reached out

to stubborn and sinful people

going their own way.

3They keep making me angry

by sneering at me,

while offering sacrifices

to idols in gardens

and burning incense

to them on bricks.

4They spend their nights

hiding in burial caves;

they eat the meat of pigs,

cooked in sauces

made of stuff unfit to eat.

5And then they say to others,

“Don't come near us!

We're dedicated to God.”

Such people are like smoke,

irritating my nose all day.

6I have written this down;

I won't keep silent.

I'll pay them back

just as their sins deserve.

7I, the Lord, will make them pay

for their sins and for those

of their ancestors—

they have disgraced me

by burning incense

on mountains.

Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®) © 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
See this passage in other languages or Bible versions

The Lord's New Creation

17 I am creating new heavens

and a new earth;

everything of the past

will be forgotten.

18Celebrate and be glad forever!

I am creating a Jerusalem,

full of happy people.

19 I will celebrate with Jerusalem

and all its people;

there will be no more crying

or sorrow in that city.

20No child will die in infancy;

everyone will live

a very long life.

Anyone a hundred years old

will be considered young,

and to die younger than that

will be considered a curse.

21My people will live

in the houses they build;

they will enjoy grapes

from their own vineyards.

22No one will take away

their homes or vineyards.

My chosen people will live

to be as old as trees,

and they will enjoy

what they have earned.

23Their work won't be wasted,

and their children won't die

of dreadful diseases.

I will bless their children

and their grandchildren.

24I will answer their prayers

before they finish praying.

25 Wolves and lambs

will graze together;

lions and oxen

will feed on straw.

Snakes will eat only dirt!

They won't bite or harm anyone

on my holy mountain.

I, the Lord, have spoken!

Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®) © 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
See this passage in other languages or Bible versions

Reflect

The story is told of an illiterate woman who a couple of years after hearing and believing the gospel and experiencing the goodness of God in a multiplicity of ways,  genuinely asked her well-educated daughter in their local language: “I hear us speaking all the time of us serving God but really, come to think of it, is it not God rather who is serving us?”

You can say that again! What kind of God is this? Behold what profound love he lavishes on the undeserving like you and me! Indeed “Real love isn’t our love for God, but his love for us.” (1 John 4:10)

Today’s passage opens and closes with picturesque expressions of a proactive, unconditional and unrelenting lover, bending over backwards, almost ‘forcing himself’ upon us: “I, the Lord, was ready to answer even those who were not asking and to be found by those who were not searching. To a nation that refused to worship me, I said, “Here I am!” All day long I have reached out…” “I will answer their prayers before they finish praying.” (vv 1-2, 24) Sandwiched between these two ends is a stark contrast between a very evil people deserving of nothing but judgment (2-7) and such a good place prepared for the undeserving (17-25).

God’s love is indescribable, unfathomable. No wonder one Christian writer calls it “crazy love.” Even while we were still sinners and spitting in his face he sent his only begotten son to die for us (Romans 5:8). Will you take a prolonged time today to ponder his love for you, then break out in thanks, praise and worship? And to think he’s preparing a place for us where that will be a full-time occupation for all of eternity. That’s really awesome!

Respond

Abba, Father, in your infinite goodness you formed me. Thank you. Whenever I’ve been uninterested in you or messed up, even before I know it you come after me to save and bless. Your love is truly unfathomable and I just want to worship you today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Yaw Perbi

Yaw Perbi

Dr. Yaw Perbi is a physician, pastor and president of International Student Ministries Canada (ISMC). He is the founder and Global CEO of The HuD Group and has ministered in 45 countries on five continents. Yaw is a Fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative and a Lausanne Movement Catalyst. Dr. Perbi currently resides in Montreal, Canada with his dear wife Anyele and six delightful children. He owes all this to Christ Jesus.

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