Encouragement

This year I am studying the book of Isaiah in BSF. It has been such a great study on a book that I have always just passed over, thinking it would be too difficult to understand. Another misconception about Isaiah is that it was mostly prophecy and it wouldn't be applicable to my daily life. I was SO wrong. Every week after study I walk away with a convicted heart. This week was no different. The lecture was on Isaiah 54-57. 


Here are the verses that really encouraged me...


"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My Word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."


These are verses that I know, but today I saw them in a different light. Let me explain...


Lately we have been trying to have an evening devotion time as a family. At the beginning of the year we decided to read through the Bible in a year. It started out after dinner and then moved to right before bed, after Abby had been put to bed...she just wouldn't sit still. It seemed like every night there was so much resistance to this opening of God's word. Either a child would be grumpy, we would be exhausted, we were going to bed late. We pushed forward, knowing that Satan would want us to stop. But then it seemed like our kids were getting NOTHING out of this time. We were reading from a children's Bible with applicable questions at the end. Rarely were the right answers given and we felt like we were constantly having to say, "Listen...Sit Still...Leave your sister alone". It became frustrating for all of us. We were exhausted and felt like nothing was being accomplished. And sad to say it's probably been 3 weeks since we even attempted a devotional time. 


 That's why these verses struck me. God is the ONLY one who can work in our hearts. It's not my job to change their hearts. I am called to deliver the Word. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) God does the rest. Why do I take Him out of the equation? Why do I think that I have to do it all? It is His Word and He will accomplish what He desires. I can smile at squirmy kids and having to explain everything over again (and again). God's word will not return void.  What may seem empty now, God will make full. 


So with renewed focus we will be starting family devotions again. And there is peace in knowing that if I do my part, God promises to do the rest.