Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 Jesus Christ who includes All

Isaiah 45:1-8
“I am the LORD and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things” (Isaiah 45:7 NKJV)

Introduction
In Isaiah 45, we are given an exposition about a great leader that God has selected. That very leader is prophesied by the prophet Isaiah approximately 150 years before he lived. His name is Cyrus the Great, and he is referenced more than 30 times in Scripture. As far as we can tell from Biblical and historical sources, King Cyrus was not Jewish. However, that did not preclude him from being used instrumentally in delivering God’s chosen people from Babylonian exile. Alongside the prophecies, we can hone in on a couple of themes explored in Isaiah 45.

1. God is working through people who do not believe in Him
In the year of our Lord 2023, there are highly contentious battles playing out in the political landscape of the United States. The fact of the matter is that there are not very many Christians running around in higher political circles. Those leaders who choose to identify as Christian may be put in a position where they are forced to compromise basic Biblical principles in an attempt to appease their constituents. In effect, Christianity has become dulled and reduced to a mere prop by many. While this all plays out, we have to bear in mind that our Lord is constantly at work. Through the actions of leaders in high places, like the Persian King Darius, God’s will is being revealed. God may very well be using the people who we stand opposed to. The bottom line is that God is still in the business of setting captives free, and He may accomplish this through unlikely sources.

2. We serve a God who reveals Himself to people
Throughout this chapter, there are allusions to the creation account in Genesis. God’s indelible fingerprint is seen over the face of the Earth. Everything around us points to the One who fashioned the stars in the sky. Also, our Creator is not a distant one. Scripture echoes the idea that God is near to those who call on Him. God’s character is put on full display here. Not only is God capable of creating the universe, but also, He is capable of interacting with us in an intimate way. The thought of that alone is quite humbling. As our Lord Jesus Christ says, “he who seeks finds” (Matthew 7:8 NKJV). When we put this into practice, we can deepen our relationship with our Lord and God.
 
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for allowing us to meditate upon your Word this day. Lord, allow us to lay everything aside so that we can seek you earnestly and with sincerity. Work your purposes out in our lives so that we may faithfully bear Your divine image to all of creation.
 
Thought for the Day
God works in mysterious yet intentional ways.
 
Christin Mathew
Epiphany Mar Thoma Church, NY

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