Meditation: Isaiah 55:10 For just as rain and snow fall from the sky
and do not return there, but water the earth,
causing it to bud and produce,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth —
it will not return to me unfulfilled;
but it will accomplish what I intend,
and cause to succeed what I sent it to do.”
1st Week of LentMy word … shall not return to me void. (Isaiah 55:11)
For thousands of years, politicians and merchants have made claims about what they or their products can do. And some of us have learned, to our chagrin, that more than a few of these claims are wildly exaggerated. Not so with God! He tells us that his word goes out and never fails to accomplish his will—and he’s absolutely right! Think about the word that proceeds from God’s mouth:
The word is creative. Read the first chapter of Genesis. When God said, “Let there be light,” there was light. So too with day and night, earth and sea, plants and animals, and all the rest. All things, St. John says, came to be through that word. When a word goes forth from God’s mouth, it brings into being something that never was—life. It establishes in you what is lacking so that his life in you can flourish, so that your faith and your relationships can deepen.
The word is authoritative. That might suggest notions of government, commands, and obedience. But authoritative also means trusted, true, reliable, and dependable. This is who God is! And he is for you. When he commands, he also offers the grace to obey. Your obedience to him brings you life, because in everything, he works for good with us. His authoritative word never changes or varies. It never deceives or manipulates. It just is—solid, true, dependable, and trustworthy.
The word is near to you. This creative word, which you can rely on and trust and which surpasses everything, is as near as your tongue, as close as your heart. You long for life or peace, joy or patience, and the word, which is close to you, can bring them about. Ask God for what you lack: healing, forgiveness, a new start, or a permanent break with old habits. He will speak the word you need, and as you take it up, it will accomplish his desires for you.
Finally, the word is alive! Jesus, the Word of God, became flesh, dwelt among us, and overcame death.
Nothing can conquer the word of God. So rejoice in that word today! Read it. Seek its guidance. Invite it into your life, and watch it bear fruit!
“Father, speak your word to me today. I long to be made alive with you.” Amen!
Psalm 34:4 (3) Proclaim with me the greatness of Adonai;
let us exalt his name together.
5 (4) I sought Adonai, and he answered me;
he rescued me from everything I feared.
6 (5) They looked to him and grew radiant;
their faces will never blush for shame.
7 (6) This poor man cried; Adonai heard
and saved him from all his troubles.
16 (15) The eyes of Adonai watch over the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry.
17 (16) But the face of Adonai opposes those who do evil,
to cut off all memory of them from the earth.
18 (17) [The righteous] cried out, and Adonai heard,
and he saved them from all their troubles.
19 (18) Adonai is near those with broken hearts;
he saves those whose spirit is crushed.
Matthew 6:7 “And when you pray, don’t babble on and on like the pagans, who think God will hear them better if they talk a lot. 8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 You, therefore, pray like this:
‘Our Father in heaven!
May your Name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.
11 Give us the food we need today.
12 Forgive us what we have done wrong,
as we too have forgiven those who have wronged us.
13 And do not lead us into hard testing,
but keep us safe from the Evil One.
[a]For kingship, power and glory are yours forever.
Amen.’
14 For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; 15 but if you do not forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will not forgive yours.[Footnotes:
Matthew 6:13 The latter half of verse 13 is not found in the oldest manuscripts.]
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