Focus

Let yourself become open to God and the knowledge that comes from the Word. Ask God for peace at this time.

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Read

Isaiah 54:11-17 (NRSV)

O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted,
I am about to set your stones in antimony,
and lay your foundations with sapphires.
I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
your gates of jewels,
and all your wall of precious stones.
All your children shall be taught by the LORD,
and great shall be the prosperity of your children.
In righteousness you shall be established;
you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
and from terror, for it shall not come near you.
If anyone stirs up strife,
it is not from me;
whoever stirs up strife with you
shall fall because of you.
See it is I who have created the smith
who blows the fire of coals,
and produces a weapon fit for its purpose;
I have also created the ravager to destroy.
No weapon that is fashioned against you shall prosper,
and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD
and their vindication from me, says the LORD.

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Reflect

How do you want your life to be built? In today’s scripture, Isaiah tells us that God wants to use extravagant materials, the best of the best, to build our lives. These materials would withstand any storm, any attack. But implicit in the text is this: God gives us a choice about how to build our lives.

One day a wealthy man saw an out-of-work carpenter. He told the carpenter, “I am going on vacation, but I want you to build me a house. The only thing I ask is that you use the very best supplies, the very best workmanship, and the very best artisans.”

The carpenter did something very dishonest. He decided he would take advantage of the wealthy man. He built the house with very cheap materials. He used the cheapest artisans and workers he could find, and he pocketed the difference.

He built a crummy house, but charged the master for a wonderful house. When the master returned home, the carpenter handed him the keys to his house. The master tossed the keys back to the carpenter and said, “This house was not for me; it is your house.”

How many times does God pitch us the keys to our lives only for us to cheat the Master? We build our lives with crummy material. We set ourselves up to be rocked and destroyed. Scripture tells us there is a better way. It says we need to commit our lives to Christ wherein we will find fulfillment. We will grow year after year, storm after storm, because our lives will be built with God.

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Pray

God, help me always to look to you as I build the house of my life. Amen.

Go with God.