Upcoming: O.T. for 2.19.06
Isaiah 43:18-25
18″Forget about what’s happened;
don’t keep going over old history.
19Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.
It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?
There it is! I’m making a road through the desert,
rivers in the badlands.
20Wild animals will say “Thank you!’
-the coyotes and the buzzards–
Because I provided water in the desert,
rivers through the sun–baked earth,
Drinking water for the people I chose,
21the people I made especially for myself,
a people custom-made to praise me.
22″But you didn’t pay a bit of attention to me, Jacob.
You so quickly tired of me, Israel.
23You wouldn’t even bring sheep for offerings in worship.
You couldn’t be bothered with sacrifices.
It wasn’t that I asked that much from you.
I didn’t expect expensive presents.
24But you didn’t even do the minimum–
so stingy with me, so closefisted.
Yet you haven’t been stingy with your sins.
You’ve been plenty generous with them–and I’m fed up.
25″But I, yes I, am the one
who takes care of your sins–that’s what I do.
I don’t keep a list of your sins.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson
to this blog
The Least, First 
It’s new, see? It’s now – God’s voice isn’t a museum artifact, but a living thing. It isn’t about how it was in “Bible times,” but how it will be tomorrow and the day after and after and after with Jesus ever new creating life in me. New! New! Always!
Monte
February 15, 2006 at 10:14 pm
Oh yeah, Sharon, I think you’re on to something here. See my posting on all 4 together – I was drawn to some of the same things. And I wonder if in Corinthians passage – where Paul first reminds them of his outward authenticity when he was with them before – he ends by talking about how it is he knows of his authenticity for himself.
Could that be what I need in order to “go” with him, as you say? Oooh, the Bible is so cool.
Monte Asbury
February 13, 2006 at 6:40 pm
Thank You Georgann and Dan
Also Thank You ahead of time to everyone who responde to these scriptures.
I agree that God, during Epiphany, is asking us to “Go.”
Now if He provides all we need to Go. Some where in these scriptures is evidence of the reality of God’s nature… That one thing I need from Him if I’m to ‘go’ for Him.
What is it (about Him) that keeps me on track and not just out there doing ‘ good stuff’ with no time left to wonder about God?
Something about who God is apart from our human condition?
This twinkle of an idea, may be way off track but it does seem to be twinkling at the moment. It is only Monday.
What song would help worship in this direction?
Thanks for a place to think!
Sharon
Sharon
February 13, 2006 at 12:35 pm
These verses are so beautiful! Jesus is doing such brand-new things in me – I sense Him making roads in the desert that was my heart; putting rivers in the badlands and sun-baked (or should I say “sin-baked”) earth that used to be me. I was them – I didn’t pay a bit of attention ot Him. But when He took care of my sins, all these wonderful new things burst out – life I didn’t know I could have. Life beyond anything I could have dreamed of. Just think of it – I was chosen by HIm! I was custom made to praise Him! Like the paraplegic, I have had my sins taken care of and been given rivers of life. It’s all by His grace, all because He has taken care of my sins. Wow! I want to be alert and be present! I don’t want to miss out on a thing!
Georgann
February 12, 2006 at 7:18 pm