Tuesday, December 28, 2010
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ezekiel 37-39 and 2 Peter 1
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ezekiel 37-39 and 2 Peter 1
SCRIPTURE READING
Isaiah 9:6 (NIV); And he will be called… Everlasting Father…
What a peculiar prophecy – that a child would be called a Father. These words highlighted the PERSON of Jesus. Not only is His counsel wonderful, not only is He great in power, but He is an everlasting, available person!
As Creator, God is the first and eternal Father of mankind, and He was always accepted as the Father of Israel. He is the Most High, but His highness does not deter Him from intimacy with His people. He is the great King. Not a “here today gone tomorrow” king such as Israel and Judah had experienced, but a forever King whose dynasty would never end.
God is a Protector of His people. Picture a father defending his bruised and abused daughter. That is our God. Picture a first-time daddy holding his tiny newborn son in his arms. That is our God. Picture a father embracing his child who has just sorrowfully confessed to the worst of sins. Picture a dad sitting in a coffee shop looking into the eyes of his boy and saying, “I’m proud of you, son.” Picture a father writing out a will of great inheritance. Picture a dad at Christmas excitedly distributing gifts. Picture a father lovingly disciplining his child. Picture a father on his knees interceding for his children. These are pictures of good earthly dads and they do not even compare to the workings of our Everlasting Father!
PRAYER and MEDIATION
1. Read the words of Isaiah 9:6 a few times over and spend some time soaking them up. “He is called Everlasting Father.” Allow this to sink in. What does it mean to you today, right now?
2. Meditate on what this prophesy meant to the world at large. It was not spoken just for us as individuals, but the entire human race!
3. How do you need God to be a Father to you right now? Get close with Him and ask Him to show you His heart. How does He want to protect and comfort you today?
4. Ask the Holy Spirit how you can share this news with someone today. Who needs to know that the Lord is the Everlasting Father and how can you communicate this to them? Be specific.
