SWHW Bible Reading Plan: May 2021Sample

Top Takeaway From Malinda Fuller:

These chapters are so full of life. Full of hope. Full of promise. Over and over, we read of what God has done and what He will do. Of all the statements, my favorite lines are from Chapter 41, where Isaiah states what God will do and closes the thought with:

"that they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord has done this" (Isaiah 41:20).

That they may see and know that the hand of the Lord has done this. Not man's hand. Not a figment of the imagination, or a fluke, or a trick. God's intention is for people to stop and see--and see with enough confidence that they know who did the great works. 

In the previous chapter, Isaiah reminds us:

"Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?" (Isaiah 40:12-14).

Imagine the might and vastness of God for a moment. Unmatched in strength or wisdom. And this God desires a relationship with us?!

"To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains" (Isaiah 40:18-19).

Idols are designed and crafted by others, but not God. Consider the Being who used words to create the universe and all that is in it; God wants to be with you.

"To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing" (Isaiah 40:25-26).

God, great and mighty. Immense, yet aware of the smallest detail, with a deep desire for us to know Him intimately.

In the next chapter, we read more: "I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive. I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane, and the pine together" (Isaiah 41:18-19). 

And that brings us back to verse 20: "that they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord has done this" (Isaiah 41:20).

These words serve as a reminder to me: that God's desire is for my attention. The things He does all around me, every day, are to cause me to see and know that He is working. He is near. He is all-powerful and knowing. 

God is eager for not just my acknowledgment, but also my affection. He desires that I not just observe His goodness, but also understand it. Intimately. Then, He wants me to proclaim it to others-- just as the earth and heavens, the water, and weather do-- that God is great. He does great things, and His desire is for us. 

Father, Thank You for being big enough to weigh the heavens, yet aware of the minor details of my life. Thank You for showing me every day, in the beauty of Your creation and the people You've placed in my life, just how big You are, how near You are, and how much You want to connect with me. Thank You for giving me indisputable evidence; may I always have eyes to see and take time to acknowledge it.  Amen.