Bitter Waters or Sweet Waters?

“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him and by his wounds were healed. “(Isaiah 53:3-5),

Hey Gang:  Have you ever noticed that when studying the Old Covenant we find the Hebrew Scriptures depict God as one who both wounds and heals, who smites His people for sins to wake them up to their spiritual danger, but who also restores them when they repent?

If you read Genesis through Malachi you will find an awful lot of smiting, but very little true repentance.   We find a repetitious pattern that persist throughout the history of the “apple of God’s eye,’ Israel.  When under the authority of God they prospered and were at peace -but when they choose to put God aside and go their own way, agony and pain soon followed. 

God had many opportunities to give up on His chosen people but that is not God’s way.  Rather than give up on us, He initiated a deeper strategy, one that would not have occurred to us even had we millions of years to ponder the problem. 

Instead of continuing the smiting and healing, punishing and restoring, God allowed His own Son to be smitten and struck down for our offenses.  Wow! no wonder there is power in Jesus name!  More than two thousand years after His death and resurrection people are still being healed because of prayer. (I just read that a life with out prayer is like a house built without nails! - Gram)

Soooo, young lads and lassies, if bitter water are swirling around you or someone you love, if you are going through a wilderness experience, keep this in mind, God is the remedy and provides The Remedy!   He stands at the door of your heart waiting for you to open the door and invite Him in.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting ALL your care on Him, because Hr cares for you.” (IPeter 5:6-7)

Blessings,

Gramps