Day: June 7, 2020

Following Cloud Experience (Jun 5)

The book of Exodus closes with
the record of how the tabernacle
& priestly garments are completed
exactly as God had instructed.
The people donated the materials,
chosen artisans do the work, Moses
inspects finished product and Aaron
with sons are anointed for service.
Finally God declares His satisfaction
by filling the tent with His glory.
And for the next 480 years the
tabernacle will remain the focal
point of the nation’s worship.

Lord, we purpose to Follow You:
Moses proceeded to do everything
as the Lord had commanded(40:16)
Then the cloud covered Tabernacle
and the glory of the Lord filled
the Tabernacle… Whenever the
cloud lifted from the Tabernacle,
the people of Israel would set
out on their journey, following it.
But if the cloud did not rise,
they remained where they were
until it lifted (Exo 40:34-37).

Lord, we note when the Israelites
were following God in wilderness,
they waited until the cloud rose
and led them; sometimes long
beyond their own comfort level.
That isn’t easy to do, but it’s an
exercise of faith and listening.
God You want us to ask & wait; and
wait some more until we’ve heard.
Lord, grant us the grace of faith
to wait upon You so that You will
renew our strength. In Jesus’ name.

Lord, tell me everything that
I need to know so that I can get
to Your work & eternal perspective.
Reveal destructive tendencies to
enable informed decision making.
Reveal the assignments so that
I can plan engagement strategy.
I am eager to understand the facts
and ensuing wisdom that will enable
me honour You with my life. Amen.

Lord, I submit my every step
to You; the one who is in controI.
I invite You to direct my path
with or without my awareness of it.
Give me Lord understanding
when I need it; and give me
trust when I don’t understand.
Lead me into the land of promise
which You have designed for me.
In Jesus’ precious name. Amen.

Responding to Holy God

Isaiah’s national call for repentance
is so urgent that even his personal
call & commission to the prophetic
office must wait until chapter six.
Isaiah’s “Woe” I am sinful (v5)
is met by God’s “Lo” I am holy (v7)
resulting in Isaiah’s “Here am I;
send me” (v8) and God’s “Go” (v9).
The task set before Isaiah is an
unenviable one, for God promises
from the start that the people will
be spiritually deaf and nearsighted.
But armed with confidence in his
Immanuel, Isaiah begins to declare
harsh words from on high in the
courts and places of Judah.

Lord, realise Isaiah had to come to
grips with his own sinful condition
and spiritual lukewarmness before
he could confront an entire nation
suffering from the same conditions.
After his vision of God, Isaiah had
a rekindled sense of God’s awesome
holiness and grandeur, and had no
trouble volunteering for His service.
Lord, we will Seek Your Presence;
Lord, we will Seek Your Holiness &
Lord, we will Seek Your Help. Amen.

• Lord, we will Seek Your Presence:
  My beloved had a vineyard on a rich
  and fertile hill. He plowed the land,
  cleared its stones and planted it
  with the best vines. In the middle
  he built a watchtower and carved
  a winepress in the nearby rocks.
  Then he waited for a harvest of
  sweet grapes, but the grapes
  that grew were bitter (Isa 5:1-2).
  Lord, what Your people in our cell
  groups need most is to abide in
  the vine that is Christ. For a branch
  cannot produce fruit if it is severed
  from the vine. So Lord, graft the
  people in disciple groups into
  Your vine in a way that they can
  never be severed. And help us
  to trust You Lord for the harvest
  in our corporate & individual lives.
  In Jesus’ precious name. Amen.

Lord, we will Seek Your Holiness:
In the year that King Uzziah died,
I saw the Lord sitting on a throne…
Above it stood seraphim… And
one cried to another and said:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of His glory!..
So I said: Woe to me! I am ruined!
For I am a man of unclean lips,
and I live among a people of
unclean lips and my eyes have seen
the King,the Lord Almighty (Isa 6:5)
Lord, whenever I sense Your holy
presence, like Isaiah, I am greatly
aware of my own unworthiness.
And that makes me even more
grateful for how much You did
so that I can come before your
throne and find grace and mercy.
Purify me and help me to separate
myself from all that is unholy. Amen

Lord, we will Seek Your Help:
The Lord sent this message to
King Ahaz: Ask me for a sign
to prove that I will crush your
enemies as I have promised…
But the king refused. Then Isaiah
said: The Lord Himself will give
you a sign: Behold the virgin shall
conceive and bear a Son and call
His name Immanuel (Isa 7:10-14).
Lord, lead us not to be like Ahaz
who rejected Your help thinking
he got the situation under control.
Forgive us for seeking outward
signs rather than being drawn
into closer communion with You.
May You take pleasure in us as
we purpose to rely on You and to
trust You and not test You. Amen.