Monday, August 5, 2013

Isaiah 25:1. Just memorize this right now. You will not regret it.

"O Lord, you are my God. I will exalt you, I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and true." --Isaiah 25:1, ESV (See other translations here)

I stumbled upon this verse in my Bible Memorization notebook the day I started my new job. Having copied it into the book nearly a year earlier, I had also forgotten it was there. Tucked between other passages to be added to my heart's Bible at some point, the short verse had gone unnoticed; and now, as I was about to embark on a new endeavor--one that frightened me far more than I had imagined it would--I rediscovered the short words of wisdom and praise, which led to my spending the bus ride into the city focused on them in worship.

Over the next few days, as I become somewhat overwhelmed and inundated with new tasks, facts, and concepts, the verse continued to have an effect on me. I made it part of my morning routine along with checking messages and brewing coffee. I brought it to the forefront of my mind in private, following this or that assignment or instruction, and by week's end, I had it cemented into my memory.

To be honest, the greatest aspect of the verse is in its simplicity. The verse includes neither requests nor confessions. Its goal is praise: plain and simple. When one is inundated, stressed, overwhelmed or afraid, a renewal of praise to God is perhaps the single greatest action that one can take to regain his or her peace. While the world around us can be chaotic and uncertain, praise centers our lives on someone true, unchanging, and marvelous--one who does "wonderful things". When our minds are fixed upon God, the cares of this world seem less pressing, the stressors of the day carry less severity, and ultimately we remember that the world revolves around his plans, not ours. And his plans are indeed faithful and true.

That being said, I exhort you all to memorize Isaiah 25:1. Cherish it and return to it the rest of your days, speak it unto God in heaven, and I believe that in turn His Holy Spirit will breathe a sigh of relief and renewal into your heart, mind, and soul.

Know you are blessed and loved this week, and thank you again for stopping at the blog!
C.J.

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