I spent some time reading through Isaiah this summer. Admittedly, I am not an expert, and truthfully, I haven’t even finished reading the entire thing. BUT…I did learn a lot about God’s provision, Jesus’ coming to earth, and our human need. I was in awe of God’s presence throughout the book. His love encapsulates both human suffering (due to lack of obedience) as well as the promise of the greatest representation of love that there ever was.

There are at least 40 messianic prophecies in the book of Isaiah that Jesus fulfilled when He came to earth as a human (even more that will be fulfilled in His second coming). These prophecies tell of the moment when God became man. We celebrate that at Christmas time, and it’s certainly inferred in His death at Easter; if He wasn’t a human, and solely God, how could he die on a cross? It’s a critical fact of our Christian faith, and yet, how often have you actually pondered it? Have you really thought about what it means that Jesus became man so that He could relate to us, understand our hurts and fears, experience our happiness, and live life on this earth? He didn’t come so that He could say, “been there done that, you’ve got nothing on me.” Rather, He came out of love for His people.

When we come to the historical time in which Isaiah was written, we are at a point where God knew His creation had traversed a path He didn’t want for them. Living lives of sinfulness and evil was commonplace and He knew the only way to save His beloved creation from eternal destruction was to send His only son to die in our place. Jesus fully took on our sins and sacrificed Himself, so that we could be made whole and righteous and be able to stand blameless before the Father.

Please understand that this was God’s plan from the very beginning. It wasn’t a response to the evil decisions people had made, but a plan He put in to motion because He knew His creation would rebel. In those messianic prophecies that I mentioned earlier, we see that God had arranged a way to save creation before people even knew they needed to be saved.

Just some quick context setting. You know that the book of Isaiah is in the Old Testament, but did you know it was written between 742 BC and 681 BC? That’s well over half a millennium before Jesus was born, yet there are several passages that talk about it as if it is a sure thing (because it was).

In Isaiah 9, we read that not all was doom and gloom because of the people’s disobedience. God was giving them hope that a future prince would be born who would rule a vast and prosperous dominion. He was promising light that would overcome the darkness. Verse 2 says, “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.” What an amazing concept that Jesus is the light of the world. You see, darkness cannot put out light, but light breaks through the darkness with no trouble at all. There’s lots more to say on that, but I will save that for a lighter post in the future (haha).

Continuing in chapter 9, we see God’s promise of that future ruler, “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. and He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end.” Well, now, isn’t that a breath of fresh air? At the time, this prophecy made little sense to the failed governments, ruthless kings, and hopeless people, but God knew a better way was coming: the Way. Jesus would be born as a baby and inhabit this earth in order to disrupt the way of things. We look forward to the day when the rest of this prophecy is fulfilled, and Jesus’ kingdom and its peace will rule forevermore.

>>Jump over to chapter 42 in your bible and read verses 1-9. If you have time for more, read the whole chapter!

Wow! What a beautiful passage about the gentleness of this coming ruler who would bring justice to the earth. Gentleness and justice aren’t often thought of as going hand in hand, but this coming King would rule justly and mightily in love. God’s Spirit would be on Him and again we see that He would be a light to guide the nations (vs. 6).

Now, I know this is a Christmas post, but I want to encourage you to dwell on the reason why Jesus came to earth, and it’s not just about the precious baby wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger. We see it in another prophecy from chapter 53 of Isaiah.

>>Read chapter 53. It’s not long, but boy is it packed with Truth and Purpose.

This chapter can be hard to read as we consider our role in Jesus’ death. It was MY sin, YOUR sin, OUR sin that put Him on the cross and He was crushed for OUR iniquities (vs. 5). That’s heavy, right? I mean, tears. BUT, that verse ends with “…by His wounds we are healed.” His purpose for coming to earth as a baby and growing into a man was to save us from our sin, to heal us—to make us righteous and holy and right standing before Him and the Father. Hallelujah! THAT is something to celebrate every single day.

We also know that, although it was our sins that put Him on the cross, it was God’s will that He would die that way (vs. 10). So, again, we see that it was God’s salvation plan from the beginning. Who knows us better than our Creator? He knew we would need saving, and so He made a way with His precious son, in order that we could be reunited with our Maker.

Not only did God carry out this plan to save us from our sins, He prepared a solution to help us once Jesus ascended into heaven after His resurrection. He didn’t leave us with only our own resources. Instead, He fully equipped us with His Spirit. We read in several places in the New Testament that God’s Spirit lives in us (1 Corinthians 3:16, Galatians 4:6, Romans 5:5, etc.). He prays when we don’t have the words (Romans 8: 26-27). He teaches us and reminds us of God’s truth (John 15:26, John 16:13). He strengthens us (Ephesians 3:16). What an awesome Father to provide for His children in this way. I try to recall this truth regularly, that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in me, and thank God for it. Without Him, I would be helpless. Who’s with me?

Of course, you do have to accept God’s gift of salvation and grace and believe in HIm. If you haven’t done that, reach out to someone you know loves Jesus, or send me an email at teamodecor918@gmail.com and I would be happy to chat with you! If you want to do it right now, take a couple minutes to acknowledge your need for a Savior, repent of your sins, and ask Jesus to come into your life. There’s no magic prayer, you just need to speak words of authentic acceptance and commitment, and watch how God will change your life, renew your Spirit, and give you a peace which surpasses all understanding.

This Christmas, be thankful for Jesus’ humanity and willingness to come to earth to experience what life is like for us, but also reflect on God’s sovereignty and omniscience and His foreknowledge. His will didn’t end with Jesus coming to save us; He continues to carry out His will in our daily lives. Seek His guidance, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you as you interact with those around you.

We serve a perfect Savior who knows our hearts. What a wonderful truth.

P.S. If you want to read more about Jesus’ purpose for coming to earth and how God’s salvation plan redeemed us, turn to Romans 8 and soak in the Truth.

I am starting this one with a spoiler: Ruth is in the lineage of Jesus, the Savior of the World. Keep that in mind as you learn more about her story and come to realize how simple actions can lead to grand impact.

When Ruth married a man from Judah, she had no way of knowing that her future son would be the grandfather of King David.

When her husband, father-in-law, and brother-in-law all died, she had no way of knowing that she would find favor with family she hadn’t met yet.

When she refused to leave her mother-in-law, Naomi, in her bitter grief as she traveled back to her home in Judah, she had no way of knowing that provision was coming in the most unique way.

>>Go read the book of Ruth in the Old Testament. It’s only 4 chapters and won’t take you too long! It will put into context what I’m about to share with you.

Welcome back! Wasn’t that a great story?

Despite all of the unknowns, Ruth pressed forward. She is the kind of daughter-in-law every mother-in-law wants, right? Faithful to the end. Obedient beyond measure. Hard-working, diligent, and selfless.

Be like Ruth. I could end the post right here, but I will continue because I want you to see God’s work in all of this.

Each step of her journey, Ruth chose to obey the Lord and be faithful to her family. She didn’t know what the future held, but she trusted that God had a plan for her life.

>>Sometimes we think, if I just knew how this would turn out…then I would promise to be faithful. Thankfully, God gives us the strength to rely on Him and His spirit so that we can continue to live our lives as offerings of worship. We shouldn’t need to know the results in order to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our Lord (Micah 6:8). We should do those things despite whatever may come.

After the tragedy and death in the family, Ruth decided to stay with her mother-in-law and head to Bethlehem, even though Naomi had encouraged her to return to her own family. This is where she meets the family’s redeemer (one who could purchase the land and the widow of the male relative who had passed away). Boaz was a kind man who owned land and had many harvesters who worked for him. I love that he greets his workers with a kind and joyful, “The Lord be with you!” in verse 4 of chapter 2. What a great example of biblical leadership that fosters respect and camaraderie.

Boaz continues to provide for Ruth as she gleans the leftovers from his field, with very little rest, to help provide for her and her mother-in-law. When Ruth asked him about why he was showing her favor, he replied that her reputation preceded her. He had heard about how she faithfully continued to serve and support her mother-in-law despite not having the chance to find another husband in a foreign land. Boaz said to her, “The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” He knew that God would provide for Ruth in her obedience, and we have already seen evidence of that in the beginning of this story.

Shortly after, Naomi encourages Ruth to make herself available to Boaz by going to him on the threshing floor (where they brought the wheat and barley after harvest). After being shown much kindness by Boaz, and trusting her mother-in-law, she immediately responds in obedience to Naomi’s instructions. She didn’t even ask why she had to go sleep at his feet (but that was more because she would have understood that as a customary way to ask for protection in marriage).

I love how that exchange between Ruth and Naomi in chapter 3 ends. Naomi gives her instruction, and then says, “…[Boaz] will tell you what to do.” It’s almost as if she was trusting that God was in control and had it all planned out even though she didn’t.

When Boaz rolls over and sees a girl at his feet, he questions her presence and identity. After some explanation, he is actually somewhat flattered that Ruth didn’t choose to pursue younger or wealthier men, but instead chose to follow Naomi’s wishes and seek his protection as the kinsman redeemer. After an interesting Old Testament tradition that includes the handing over of a sandal, Boaz upholds the law of Moses by buying Elimelech’s (Naomi’s late husband) land and in turn gets Ruth as his wife.

Boaz and Ruth have a son. Remember that one I mentioned in the 2nd paragraph? Naomi’s friends recognized the baby as a blessing for her in her old age despite the tragedy and heartache she had faced that made it seem impossible that she would ever have a grandson. They praised God, for He had seen Naomi’s pain and suffering and provided a baby to rejuvenate her and bring her joy. That sweet baby, Obed, eventually became the father of Jesse, who was the father of King David.

God used Ruth’s faithfulness to continue the line of Jesus’ ancestors. You now know Ruth’s story (hopefully better than you did before), but you probably don’t know the story of Perez, Hezron, or Salmon. These men were also part of Jesus’ lineage, but we don’t know much about their lives from the bible. Even though their stories weren’t included, I would guess that they lived many years, loving their wives and children, probably herding sheep, sharing meals with friends and family, listening to stories of people close to them, and providing for their families. These aren’t outstanding things, but doing them faithfully, day in and day out, is imperative. We are called to live the human experience and let God do the big stuff. In our mundane, He is still at work. Remember that your life is just a small part of His grand story. Doing your work diligently, living faithfully, and supporting your family are all things that bring glory to God.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”

— Ephesians 2:10

You’ve probably heard of the burning bush.

And the 10 plagues of Egypt (frogs, river of blood, locusts, etc.).

And I am sure you’ve heard of the parting of the Red Sea.

All of these impressive biblical events were linked to Moses, but those aren’t the stories we will be discussing today. There is a period in Moses’ life that most people overlook. Without it, none of the events listed above would have happened (at least not in the same way).

Let’s start with a few quick facts about Moses that we learn in chapter 2 of Exodus.

First, he was a Hebrew, raised by Egyptians (and miraculously, partially by his real mother, but that’s a whole other post).

Secondly, he was born during a time when the Pharaoh had commanded that all Hebrew baby boys be killed (another miracle that he survived this).

Thirdly, he was a murderer.

Let me take that back.

Instead, I will say that he killed a man. I don’t believe that our actions and life choices should define who we are. I don’t go around calling people by the names of their sins, and I shouldn’t have done it in Moses’ case either. Was it wrong that he killed a man because that man was striking another? Absolutely! We all know murder is wrong, so we won’t dwell on that moment of weakness other than to say that God uses imperfect people to complete His perfect will. If He only chose perfect people to do His work, He wouldn’t have anyone to choose from, now would He?

Moses knew what he had done was wrong, and to avoid capital punishment, he fled to Midian. There, he met the daughters of the priest of Midian. He helped them by driving away some annoying shepherds and watering the girls' flock.

Of course, the girls were overjoyed and ran to tell their father about this Egyptian who had rescued them [insert some blushing and “oohs” and “ahhs”]. Their father shared their gratitude and wanted to thank Moses for his heroism, so Jethro gave his daughter, Zipporah, to Moses as his wife. What a thank you gift!

Now, we are finally at the part of the story that I want to share with you today. Verse 1 of the third chapter of Exodus says, “Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian.

The Israelites (aka Hebrews, Moses’ people) were suffering under Egyptian rule in Egypt. They were crying out to God, and meanwhile, Moses was shepherding sheep. Of course, no one knew at the time that he was going to rescue them from their slavery, but such an odd task for a soon-to-be rescuer of a whole nation, don’t you think?

Not really.

As he was shepherding the sheep, God was preparing Moses to be a shepherd of people. He would soon be called by God, via that burning bush I mentioned at the beginning of this post, to go to Egypt and set the Israelites free. Free to then wander in the desert for 40 years. There, he would lead them and continually remind them of God’s presence and promise. As humans do, even with the reminders, they continued to forget about how God had been faithful. They existed in a continual cycle of thinking they knew best, struggling, repenting, and then going back to that narcissistic stage. Without Moses’ time as a shepherd of sheep, he would not have been equipped to lead God’s people through their turmoil and strife.

We don’t know much about Moses’ time as a shepherd of sheep, but we do know that he had been gone from Egypt for 40 years. The number 40 in the bible is associated with testing, which is intended to help the person become more spiritually aware (other examples: Elijah, Jesus, the Israelites, etc.). God had taken Moses away from what he knew and the land he grew up in and brought him into the wilderness. Not only did God separate Moses from people, influence, affluence, education, and creature comforts, He employed him as a simple shepherd and prepared him for major impact.

Have you experienced a time when it felt like God took you from what you knew and brought you somewhere new and unknown? Maybe it was graduating college and joining the workforce, or becoming a new mother, or moving to a different city. It could be that you’re serving in a place you least expected to find yourself, or stuck in a situation that doesn’t seem to be leading anywhere. God often changes our circumstances so that He can prepare us for what’s coming next. If you are feeling lonely or secluded, find refuge in the Father. Lean into Him and ask Him what He is trying to teach you.

When you are in these moments, seasons, years of transition, God will challenge you, pursue you, and mold you into who He needs you to be for whatever is coming next. It can certainly feel scary or stressful, but choose to focus on how to impact others while in your own Midian.

On a grand scale, I think about the disruption that we have all experienced for the past (almost) two years as we have endured so many unknowns. It has certainly felt overwhelming at times, confusing at others, but refreshing in the moments when I was able to be still in His presence and realize that He has not changed. He is the same yesterday, today, in a pandemic, facing identity crises, and forever. We serve a God who is mightily aware of what is happening in our world, but who has seen it all. He is in control. God wins. He knows our human hearts, and He loves us despite the condition of them.

Through this disruption, have you taken the opportunity to be a light, share your hope, and live for the kingdom, or have you hunkered down or squirreled away praying to have your “normalcy” back?

Let God use your moments of waiting to prepare you for what He will soon set before you.

Have you ever felt unloved or forgotten? Abandoned or left out?

I am sure your answer to those questions is a resounding “Yes!”. We have all felt that way at one time or another. Our friend Leah, from the Old Testament, would empathize with your aching heart.

We meet Leah in the first book of the bible: Genesis. If you’re unfamiliar with this book, you may not know her fickle husband, Jacob. He had left his homeland because of a sibling quarrel, and traveled a great distance. He eventually ran into some family, and fell into love, at first sight, with a girl named Rachel (his cousin, by the way). Rachel was Leah’s younger sister.

He promised Rachel’s father, Laban (his uncle), that he would work for seven years if he could marry the beautiful Miss Rachel. Laban agreed, but must have crossed his fingers behind his back when they shook on it. Seven years later, the wedding night of Jacob and Rachel had arrived.

Remember I said that Rachel was Leah’s younger sister? Well, because of this, Laban wanted to get Leah married first, so he sent her into the wedding tent with Jacob. When Jacob realized it, he was furious.

>>Turn to Genesis chapter 29 and read verses 14-30.

Clearly Jacob was not happy with Leah and really wanted her sister Rachel. He even promised to labor seven more years to be with Rachel, on top of the seven he had already worked.

How do you think Leah felt when she awoke to Jacob’s unpleasant response to having been married to her instead of her sister? Oh my goodness, my heart breaks for her! At the same time, I wonder if she was in on the trick, or if her father forced her to marry Jacob despite her refusal? She knew how Jacob looked at and longed for her sister. Could she really have wanted to stand in the way of that?

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you know what the outcome is supposed to be, but instead of waiting for it to happen, you try to negotiate your own ending? It’s easy to want to manipulate a situation when it’s not going the way we want it to. Rather than trust Jesus’ provision and omniscience, we think we know better. If you were to stop and think for a moment, you would realize the error of your ways.

“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.”

— Psalm 118:8

How could we possibly think we know better than the Lord, the creator of the Universe?

Unfortunately, both Leah and Rachel continue to think just that. In another sibling quarrel, we see these sisters taking matters into their own hands.

Now, before we get to that mess, I will point out a rather marvelous truth that we see in the middle of this story: God sees our hurt, pain, and feelings of abandonment. Verse 31 says, “When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to have children, but Rachel could not conceive.”

God knew her heart longed to be loved and to give requited love. Therefore, He allowed her to have children.

>>Take a moment to thank the Lord for His provision and His all-knowing heart of a Father. He chooses to bless His children who follow His ways.

That verse is what leads to the jealousy and angst between these two sisters, though. Leah continues having children for Jacob, and Rachel continues not having them. This goes on for some time, until the baby count is Leah 4, Rachel 0. At that point, Rachel was distraught with jealousy, to the point where she thought she would die if she didn’t bare a son for Jacob.

What happens next is rather unusual for our time. Rachel asks Jacob to sleep with her servant in hopes that Bilhah (her servant) would be able to have children that she could claim as her own. Although it was more commonplace in biblical times, it didn’t make it right. The chaos ensues.

Bilhah has 2 sons.

Then, in retaliation, Leah gives her servant, Zilpah, to Jacob to have more children for her.

Zilpah has 2 sons.

Then Leah has 2 more sons of her own. If you’re keeping track, that’s 10 sons for Jacob.

Leah then has a daughter, and Rachel finally has a son of her own.

That’s a lot of babies, and a lot of sibling rivalry.

The story continues through the later chapters of Genesis.

>>I encourage you to read through it and reflect on the imperfect nature of humans, and the perfect nature of God. Despite our shortcomings, God uses us to accomplish His will. Jacob (who later becomes known as “Israel” when God changes his name) was the father of 12 sons who made up the 12 tribes of Israel - the chosen people of God. God used these imperfect people to bring His will to fruition. Hallelujah for the fact that His plan prevails even when our human hearts desire after our own outcomes.

There is a lot of waiting in this story. Jacob toiled for fourteen years to have his beloved Rachel. Leah waited for years to be loved by her husband. Although the bible doesn’t tell us if Jacob ever loved Leah, we do know that Jacob had Leah, but not Rachel, buried in the family tomb (Genesis 49:31).

Despite her waiting to be loved by her husband, Leah finds herself fulfilled in the Lord. In the naming of her sons, she delineates a path of contentment in the Lord. Reuben, “the Lord sees me,” Simeon, “the Lord hears me,” and Levi, where she claims the Lord will create a bond between her and her husband. After her fourth son, named Judah, she praises the Lord for His faithfulness. Although her love was unrequited, we see how God continued to bless and look well upon Leah. He cared for her graciously and she willingly found solace in His comfort.

She was unwanted by her husband, but clearly loved and wanted by the Father. God loved her, blessed her, and provided for her.

Sometimes what we think we need is not what God has in store for us.

>>Continue to trust Him and pray for His will to be done in your life. He used Leah’s pain and suffering, to continue the ancestral line to Jesus (through her son, Judah)! Wow-to be used in such a way! Only He knows what your future holds.

>>So as you reflect on Leah’s story, ask yourself if you are fully relying on God to fill your needs. In the waiting, He is working, whether you see glimpses of the proof or not.

Have you heard of delayed gratification?

It isn’t a concept that we are very familiar with in the United States today. Everything happens instantly. Now. When I want it.

Delayed gratification, on the other hand, requires wait time. Saving up, dreaming about, and/or planning for something big, and special, and important. It is the joyous moment when you finally, finally achieve or receive whatever that big, special, important thing is. Maybe it’s a beautiful wedding day that was postponed due to the craziness of the last year and a half, or an honorable graduation day after years of hard work, or a baby you have dreamed about and prayed for. Whatever it is, the gratification is all the greater after the wait time.

As you join me through these weeks of advent, we will encounter people whose lives were defined by waiting on the Lord. His timeline is not ours, and from our human perspective can often frustrate us and leave us doubting. I want you to be encouraged by these stories of His faithfulness. He is at work in your waiting.

November 28: Seeing Leah

December 5: Preparing Moses

December 12: Protecting Ruth

December 19: Delivering Jesus