THE DRAW

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“See, I have made Him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples. Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for He has endowed you with splendor.”

Isaiah 55:4-5

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

What attracts you to something or someone?

Isn’t it because they pique your interest in some way?

We tend to gravitate toward things in life that serve to draw us in, things that play on our desires and appeal to our fascinations, things that captivate us and bring us joy and entertainment.

Here in is our innate problem within the life the Lord has granted each of us. It’s in a large part about the draw.

The draw is what intrigues us, fascinates us, and often times consumes us. It’s what grips our hearts and minds, pulling us into its environment and immersing us in its spirit. It has an ability to absorb us and captivate us, ever seeking to keep us from leaving.

That’s what can make it so awesome when it is toward the right and righteous things, and so dangerous when it drags us toward wickedness and sin.

So the question today is simply this: What draws you in?

If you have found that you continuously get into bad situations, perhaps you are not exercising enough caution or discretion as to what you are connecting yourself to. For when it comes to being yoked to the right thing in life, there really is only one right answer, only One who will always lead us to the right ways and the right kind of life, a life that will be filled with joy and peace and splendor, even in the midst of the inevitable hardships that come upon us all.

That answer is the Lord, the only draw we should focus on.

It’s this point that is at the center of today’s scripture passage as we continue studying from Isaiah 55. Look again at these words from the Lord:

“See, I have made Him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples. Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for He has endowed you with splendor.” Isaiah 55:4-5

Note the picture the Lord is painting for His people, a people who were in captivity and under judgment but faced much better days ahead as God made the way for them to return to their homeland and rebuild their lives and faith. And beyond that, something even better was coming. For God was providing the world His only Son, Jesus, the expected Messiah who would open up the gates of heaven for anyone who would place their faith, hope, and trust in Him.

In other words, those who draw themselves to Jesus would have eternal life (John 3:16).

In the interim, the people of Israel would be people that other nations would draw to, not because of anything they had done, but rather because the Lord had endowed them with His splendor. When nations looked at Israel, they would see a glimpse of the Lord and that’s what would draw them in.

Friends, the same happens today. When we live our lives fully devoted and dedicated to Jesus, the One who said He is the Way and the Truth and the Life, then we will reflect Him in the way we live. Our lives simply become an extension of His and when people see that, they essentially see His splendor endowed within us, a splendor on full display through His Holy Spirit. It’s that Spirit that moves us to righteousness and right living, a Spirit that grounds us in selflessness, servitude, and, most of all, love.

Perhaps this might be the best test of whether or not we are living our lives properly as Christians. For if we are, people will not be able to keep themselves from being drawn to us because they will not be able to resist the pull of the Lord Jesus Christ whose Spirit is shining from within us, revealing the fullest measure of His splendor and magnificence He has placed within us.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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