Comfort Of God's Presence

Holy Land Picture of the Day

Olive Oil Press Today's picture is of an ancient Olive Oil press. It reminds us of Leviticus 24:1-2; "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Command the sons of Israel that they bring to you clear oil from beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually.  Outside the veil of testimony in the tent of meeting, Aaron shall keep it in order from evening to morning before the Lord continually, it shall be  a perpetual statue through out your generations. “A voice is calling, Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness, Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God”….:Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 40:3/5) Hey Gang:  I have a special love in my heart for the wilderness.  When I think of my sojourns in the land of ‘milk and honey” my thoughts turn to the many times I got my hands dirty planting seeds in the desert of Zin or restoring the ancient walls of Oboth or harvesting the crops that God so bountifully provided,  I feel a sense of peace and comfort settle into my heart.  Isaiah had much to say about the wilderness.  He penned words of comfort and hope, seven centuries before the birth of Israel’s Messiah found their fulfillment in the ministry of John the Baptist in the wilderness of Judah.  I would suggest that John had a booming voice that tended to get one's attention when he cried out, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord” (John 1:23). Just for a moment let's go back to a night hundreds of years before John’s arrival.  I suspect there were many times when the Jewish refugees, who found themselves in captivity, would gather and get out the old, weather beaten Isaiah Scroll that told them of better times, the memories of days gone by, before the pain and agony of the present day.  Their ancestral homes gone, their indescribably beautiful Temple, reduced to rubble.   Graves that once held their loved ones, now defiled and uncared for. As they read Isaiah’s prediction of Judah’s captivity in Babylon, they understand all to well what the prophet was saying.  Their past glory was only a memory, their present life is nothing more than endless days of hard service in a strange land, and their future shrouded in uncertainty.  Or so it seems. Then came words almost too wonderful to believe.  Words of comfort at a time when there was only discouragement.  How was it possible?  Could it be true?  What could possibly turn their night into day, shouts of pain into joy? The arrival of God’s comfort would be announced by His messenger in the wilderness.  Is that not the way of God – when the rubber-is- hitting-the road and we are up against the wall – walking deep in our wilderness?  He is faithful and true to never leave us or forsake us.  Sooo, young friends, when you turn on the news and see the ominous dark clouds gathering over our nation and world, remember God is well aware of every jot and tittle that is going on and is not the least bit nervous.  I challenge you this morning to read and head I Chronicles 7:14. Blessings,  Gramps