During this LEARNING TO HEAR series I’m taking a different approach to these devotionals. I want to us work harder at searching the scriptures for ourselves. We will use the ‘Come to Jesus Daily’ method below to help us with this. It’s well worth the hard work involved!
TODAY’S TEXT
“Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counsellor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding? Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.” (Isaiah 40:13-15)
I’ve included my reflections on today’s text below. However, I encourage you to pray and spend time reflecting (writing can be helpful) using the 5 questions below before reading my thoughts.
i. †GOSPEL - 'Gaze on the cross'- What does this text reveal about salvation through Jesus?
ii. UP – What does this text say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?
iii. IN – What does this say about me, the church and how we are to relate? Is there a promise to believe, command to do, attitude to have, something to avoid, is there forgiveness to seek or give?
iv. OUT – What does this say about my community and mission?
v. DO - This has two components. Firstly, list as many possible ways that you can think of that one might apply the text (actions or attitudes). Secondly, hear - Pray about how the Holy Spirit is leading you, specifically, to respond.
MY REFLECTIONS
1. †GOSPEL
We did not instruct God to work in our lives and bring us to salvation. No one instructed Him to create and then redeem this fallen world in such a glorious way. He is the independent God, and yet He laid aside His glory, became a man and died to save us!
The nations are like ‘a drop in a bucket’ to your immensity. Who are we that you should have seen and saved us! Now that you have saved us, how secure is that salvation!
2. UP
Some thoughts about God from this text: God’s purposes (decrees) do not change and cannot be stopped!
He unfathomable - infinite in size, power and knowledge.
“Forgive me for not listening to you more carefully. You don’t need my advice! You want to fill our vision. You want us to fear you for this is the ‘beginning of wisdom’ (Prov. 9:10).”
3. IN
We cannot fathom God. We can’t understand Him fully. We are to be humble before Him. The Lord wants us to worship and listen to Him. Too often we make an idol of our own intelligence and strategising, but all thought and action are to flow out of listening. It’s as we fear Him that we are enlarged in faith to attempt great things.
4. OUT
This text implies that man in sin is prone to pride; we exalt ourselves and other humans to the place of God. The Fall of mankind came as we sought the ‘knowledge of good and evil’ apart from God. The world outside of His Kingdom has a propensity to rebellion against Him.
“By your Spirit, may I see friends and family humble themselves before you. I’m confident that you have the power to do this.”
5. DO?
Here are a few examples of application that I’ve come up with:
God
“Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counsellor?” An application could be a renewed humility. Humility seeks God in His word. Humility prays. Humility seeks advice. Humility worships when we don’t understand.
A response could be to Sing some worship songs that speak of a grand vision of God. An application could be to read the book of Isaiah.
One could write a poem on the theme of God’s greatness.
We could spend time looking at a world map and meditating on the fact that these are all like a ‘drop in a bucket’.
HEAR - Pray about how the Holy Spirit might want you to respond.
COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY
