Who Says Airports Are No Fun?

I got up this morning thinking I was headed to the village of Toksook Bay. I promptly arrived at the Bethel Airport around 8:00 am to find out that all flights were on a weather hold. Since we were flying on a 4 seat Cessna bush plane, I was happy that the pilots were grounding if it was unsafe. So, I took my seat and opened my bible to the book of Isaiah.

Have you ever read this book?! As you can probably tell, I had never fully read it in its entirety. But today, after being delayed 6 times, I read it start to finish. It only took me 9 hours. Yes, I stayed the entire day at Bethel Airport reading the book of Isaiah!


For me this book profoundly impacted the way I view my relationship with the Lord. Through new eyes I was reading about an all loving Creator who was pleading with me to turn back to him. This really shook me up.


Verse 30:14 talks about his "wanting to be gracious to us, and exalting himself to show us mercy." This is something that I had heard my entire christian walk. After all, I have clung to that promise for years. Even on my best day, without his grace and mercy I would still be a hell bound sinner (harsh but true).


What I neglected to see, though, was the ultimate love that He pleads to us with. And so began my journey into Isaiah, I had no idea it would be so life changing.

Fear not, for I have redeemed you: I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you: when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you - 43:1-3

Because you are precious in my eyes and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you - 43: 4


...everyone who is called by my name, whom i created for my glory, whom I formed and made - 43:7

Wait a minute, did I read that right? The all powerful Lord of all the universe, who created light, who angels worship day and night, who is perfect, glorious, and righteous honors me? What does He mean he will give men and peoples in exchange for my life?


And, after filling the earth with all its natural beauty: the heavens, waters, land, vegetation, and animals, He still found it necessary to create a man in his own image and then go on to bless him?  Like man could bring God more glory than all of that?!


Did you ever wonder why, even after we fell into darkness and turned our backs from Him, this same God still chose to seeks us and to love us? Why even though our hearts remained hard and we continued to measure our idols (money, power, beauty, knowledge) against him, He still found us worthy?


Here's your answer:

For my name's sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another - 48:9-11

For his sake! Because he loves us! Because our praise matters to him! Can you even grasp this?! The God of the universe is PLEADING with you to love him back, to praise Him! Notice that in this one verse He repeats the phrase "for my own sake" three times!


And, the reason he won't seek his vengeance on us is because he doesn't want to cut us off from him. That is amazing!  Our praise is more important to God than his vengeance!  Even when we give our glory to other idols (money, careers, etc) and profane his name, he still continually forgives us AND still finds man worthy to reflect his glory.  I find this fact: that Christ is jealous for me and my praise, absolutely beautiful!
 After I read this verse I broke down in tears right in the middle of Bethel Airport.  The power I found in this revelation just broke me. I think I may have even had a panic attack, it was powerful!


Still, after his creation has rejected him, he chooses not to give us his wrath. Instead, out of his love, he gives us another way to glorify him.... he fulfills his promise from verse 43: 4, (I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life)...he gives us his only begotten son, Jesus! Really selah on this a moment.....


Have you ever thought about what prompted God to even think to do this? He ransoms a perfect savior in exchange for a wicked nation's salvation and praise. I think the reason he does this is because he loves us that much. That much that he gives his wrath on a perfect lamb to spares us!

Think about it: we reject him, we worship other gods before him, we break his commandments, yet he still pleads with us to love him back and to glorify his name. And, instead of destroying us all, he spares us through the blood ransom of his only son. He would rather his wrath nail his son to a cross than cut us off from giving him glory! Now that is love!


Thankfully today I understood a glimmer of Christs love..unfortunately my little brain still cannot grasp the expanse of just how deep that goes. I pray you read that verse and are shaken up as well. Great is our God and worthy is He to be praised!


Friends, be an enjoyment to God today. After all, you were created solely to give him glory. Period.


- Sarah

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRI!