Give God His Accolades.
I am the Lord your God, who teaches you for your own good, who leads you in the way you should go. Isaiah 48: 17
Israel had been in exile in Babylon for a long time (some sources say 52 years others 70). Finally, after all that time away from their homeland there is news of a gentile king, Cyrus the Great, who is about to liberate them from Babylon. Babylon had been their punishment, and now Persia would be their liberation. God lets them know however that in the same way that Babylon was His tool in punishing them, so also Cyrus was His tool in liberating them. They may be hailing Cyrus as their liberator, but they were not to forget to whom was due the ultimate praise. I watched part of the Grammy Awards on Sunday and something dawned on me. It was reflective of how our society has changed. I remember as a child watching the GrammyÂ’s and those who were awarded would have a long list (sometimes written out) of the people they wanted to thank. I remember that most would go through the list and would close by giving thanks to God. Do you remember those days? That has changed today.
Israel had been in exile in Babylon for a long time (some sources say 52 years others 70). Finally, after all that time away from their homeland there is news of a gentile king, Cyrus the Great, who is about to liberate them from Babylon. Babylon had been their punishment, and now Persia would be their liberation. God lets them know however that in the same way that Babylon was His tool in punishing them, so also Cyrus was His tool in liberating them. They may be hailing Cyrus as their liberator, but they were not to forget to whom was due the ultimate praise. I watched part of the Grammy Awards on Sunday and something dawned on me. It was reflective of how our society has changed. I remember as a child watching the GrammyÂ’s and those who were awarded would have a long list (sometimes written out) of the people they wanted to thank. I remember that most would go through the list and would close by giving thanks to God. Do you remember those days? That has changed today.
In so many areas of our lives today, we fail to recognize the power and presence of God. Grace before meals have become a rarity, so has family devotions. Instead we have become proud and boastful of our abilities and achievements, thinking that we have accomplished on our own. God reminded Israel that even though Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus did not acknowledge Him as God, they were not outside of His use in the guiding of Israel back to God. It is the Lord who is Israel’s Savior and God, not Cyrus. God had neither changed nor abandoned God’s people. The language of the Covenant in Exodus is used to reaffirm this position. ‘I am the Lord your God’ Ex. 20: 2. The Redeemer is the teacher of Israel, proving that God had been there all along. Everything that Israel was experiencing was for their own good, their salvation. God uses our situations as learning experience to better our commitment as redeemed people. Remember friends, restoration is found in the valleys of life, not in our mountain top experiences.
It is when we have been restored that we become open to guidance. Guidance is always available but the restorative process takes longer for some than others. God guides us by opening us up to new visions and leading us along new pathways. ‘See, I make everything new!’ Only the spiritually blind do not see God at work in their lives. Such persons will sing their own praises rather than giving God the praise, thanks and glory for what is happening in their lives. What about you? Who do you praise for your lessons and victories in life? Let us give God His accolades.
‘Till next Tuesday, be blessed!
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