Devotional: Know God’s History: Isaiah 51:1-3

The Black Lives Matter movement is about sending a message through words and deeds that the lives of Black people matter. Black people believe and feel that their lives do not matter in America. Black lives matter now because they have always mattered. Much of the wealth and progress enjoyed by Americans are the results of the hard work of slaves. It seems that their work mattered, but they themselves did not matter. The evidence is seen in all the lives of Black people that have been destroyed by police brutality, peonage, and destruction of Black folks homes and businesses.

Today’s young Black people are disturbed that the history books in America’s public schools do not mention the atrocities that have been inflicted on Black people. Many are surprised to learn that these events ever took place. They are learning that knowing one’s history is important. It is in knowing one’s history that he/she gets an understanding of who they are and what value does the country place upon their lives.

Have you ever thought about what your value is to God? Do you believe that God cares about you? What do you think that all of this church stuff is all about? Maybe your life circumstances make you believe that there is no God. If God exist why are all these evil things taking place in my life? Why should I be a Christian since Christians are not immune to suffering; and indeed a lot of suffering comes from the hands of Christians?

The children of God, the Israelites, have been in exile for almost seventy years. The prophet Isaiah tells them that the Lord says that they will soon go back to their homeland. Some of the people believe the prophet and others do not believe. The prophet speaks to those that seek to be righteous. They want to believe God, but when they consider their personal circumstances and the situation in their homeland, they want to know what evidence is there for them to believe the words of the prophet. Why are they in exile? Does God have the power to free them from bondage to their captors the Babylonians? The Lord has an answer for all of their concerns and questions.

They are to look at God’s history in their lives. God took one man and his barren wife and rose up a nation. God used a people that had been in slavery for 400 years to topple the Egyptians, the most powerful nation at that time. Yes, God had called the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem and the temple there. It was not that God did not have the power to prevent the Babylonians from taking them into exile. God’s purpose was that Judea including the land and the people would be punished for their sins and idolatry. Now, God’s wrath is satisfied and God will bring a remnant back home.

All people can know God’s history in the life of their people. It’s recorded in the bible God words to us written on paper. It is not just a book written by men with their own personal agendas. Rather, all scripture comes from God so that we can know what God is like. He is God and besides Him there is none other; there is no other savior. Do you want answers for who you are in God’s plan? If so, read your bible and get to know God’s history in the affairs of humanity.

Prayer: Lord God we believe in you because of your history in the affairs of humankind. Amen.