“The Gospel in Storybooks: Old Turtle” - Isaiah 40: 21-31 and Exodus 34: 6-7 Devo

July 23rd, 2017

Devotional

“The Gospel in Storybooks: Old Turtle” - Isaiah 40: 21-31 and Exodus 34: 6-7

Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com

Monday: “Have You Not Known?” -Isaiah 40: 21

One of the core beliefs of Israel that is present throughout the scriptures is the assumption that faith begins with memory. Have you ever taken a moment to consider how memory defines us? Our memories sometimes aren’t the most accurate - we may not recall an event in full detail - but it is what we remember that is important.

We, as human beings, have selective memories sometimes. We remember things how we want to remember them. And we remember the things we want to recall. And that goes on to define who we are. For example, if we are pessimistic, we may only recall the bad things, even though good things have happened in our lives as well. And if we are optimistic, we are more prone to remember things in a positive way.

In today’s scripture passage the Israelites are facing the possibility of forgetting - forgetting who their God is and who they are as a people. For many many years they have been in captivity in Babylon after being taken from Jerusalem. They have been gone so many years that the keepers of the memories have passed on. Perhaps the people of Israel still shared these memories of who they are as the chosen people of God late at night, but the truth behind the words is starting to fade. The memories seem more like distant fantasies in the face of their captivity.

Why is what we remember important?

How do our memories reflect what we believe about God?

Prayer: God, we confess that sometimes we are prone to forget. We are prone to mis-remember. We don’t always recall how good you have been to us, how you have provided for us. Help us to have clear memories of your goodness and grace so we can continue to share the stories of the faith. Amen. 

Tuesday: “It is He ” - Isaiah 40: 22-23

In this passage, God cries out through the prophet for them to remember. Remember what they know. Remember what they’ve heard and what has been told to them. Remember who God is. God is preparing them for a journey back to Jerusalem to face the seemingly impossible task to rebuild the city and the temple. But it cannot be done if the people’s faith in God is not intact, if their memory has ceased to exist. 

Can you identify with the  amnesia of the Israelites? Are their times in your life when you have forgotten who God is? Forgotten who you are? Our type of amnesia today causes us to quickly forget God’s power and might when we enter into stressful situations. It is what causes us to ask ourselves if God has abandoned us during difficult times. 

  Tell of a time that you forgot something important. What was that experience like?

Prayer: Lord, you do not leave us alone to mis-remember. Instead, you continually invite us back into the story of your love. May we carry this story in our hearts, O Lord. May it define who we are in such a way that we no longer are prone to forget. Amen. 

Wednesday: “Scarcely” - Isaiah 40: 24

Israel is facing a real problem in today’s scripture passage because they are on the verge of corporately forgetting who they are. When a few people struggle the unit will not falter because others are in their lives to remind them who they are and that God is in control. But when the entire body has forgotten, when no one is there to testify to who they are as a people, an identity crisis begins to take root. Sometimes I wonder if we are in such a place as the Church of Jesus Christ today. If we no long remember who we are, what we believe, and why we believe it. Are we just as lost as the Israelites in captivity?

An old adage states that you cannot know where you are going unless you know where you came from. So many churches today are struggling to do the next popular thing or to offer the next program so they can draw people in, but this flurry of activity isn’t reflective of who they are as the people of God. It is more about entertaining then evangelism. More about profit then the Kingdom of God. We are desperately in need of someone to remind us who God is and who we are.

How does where you come from inform where you are going?

What does the church need to remember?

Prayer: Lord, part of memory is to orient us to where you are calling us to go. When we remember how God has lead us in the past we are more likely to trust God in the future. Help us, O God, to claim your past and your presence in it, as a light leading us into a new day. Amen. 

Thursday: “Who is My Equal?” - Isaiah 40: 25-26

Today’s scripture passage tells us over and over again that God is powerful and in control. That other rulers will come to pass but that God remains the same. No one compares to God. Everyone and everything else is simply a creation of God. Yet, we are running around acting as if we are God. As if we are the ones in control instead of the ones following the vision that God has laid before us. We particularly forget who is who and what is what when times are going well. When we feel powerful. But today’s scripture reminds us of our unqualified powerlessness. And we don’t like that. We want to be the powerful ones being praised. Or we may even be willing to praise God’s powerfulness when things are going our way, but that’s not who today’s scripture passage is written to. It is written for the powerless. The ones who are so weighed down upon by life that they have forgotten everything that matters. 

God is gracious enough to give us each moments when we are reminded who God is. Moments that remind us how big God is, yet how intimate our relationship is to the Holy. These moments are different for everyone, but they help us remember who God is.

How do you remember who God is and that God is in control?

Prayer: Lord, we confess that sometimes we start to think that we are in control of our own lives - that we know better than you. Forgive us, O Lord. Help us to give control of our lives back to the One whom it belong - You and You alone. You, Lord, fashioned us. You, Lord, walk beside us. You, Lord, call us. Help us to come back to You, Precious Lord. Amen. 

Friday: “He Gives Power” - Isaiah 40: 27-31

We will never fully understand who God is or how God works in the world. We will always have questions about Gods power and why God intervenes in some situations and not in others. I believe the Israelites had the same sorts of questions when they were in captivity. But like the Israelites we have a choice as to whether we will remember who God has been in the past so we can trust God now, or if we are going to try to live by our own power alone. 

My hope and prayer for us today is that we will begin to remember who we are and who God is, and not confuse the two. I pray that we will have a way to remember those powerful moments when God unmistakably was control of our lives. I hope that we cling to those moments both when times are good and times are not so good, as a reminder that God has not forgotten or forsaken us. For just as remembering is selective, so is forgetting. So may we remember who we are so we can step out in faith. Remember our communal and personal story, God’s story, so we can live into God’s love for us. For even if our hope cannot be sustained, it can be remembered and renewed.

How can we choose to remember God?

How can we remember our personal and communal story of faith?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for not leaving us alone. Thank you for forgiving us for the times we have tried to act like God. Thank you for reminding us time and time again that you do not leave us or forsake us. And thank you for the gift of scripture to remind us that we are not alone. Help us to continue to proclaim the story of faith. Amen. 

Saturday: Preparing for the Word

You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “The Gospel in Storybooks: Stone Soup” - Romans 12: 4-5 and Matthew 18:20. 

Family Activity: Read Old Turtle. What do you think God is like? Draw a picture of something that reminds you of God. Why does this picture remind you of God? Hang it some place where you can remember how much God loves you when you look at it.