Today I’m starting a new direction for my Monday posts (during my radiation treatment) with a devotion that deals with the pursuit of a “sweet spot.”

My habit is to read a passage and then prayerfully write out my thoughts. Right now, I’m reading through three different spots – Job, Isaiah and Luke. I usually don’t read something from all three of these places each day, but I take one section or chapter from one of these books, rotating where I read with each passing day. This keeps it interesting and fresh each day for me. Today’s thoughts are from a section in Isaiah.

BTW, I will be continuing my series on forgiveness on my Wednesday posts, so I hope you’ll join me then as well.

Isaiah 44:6-23

Thoughts –
This is a love letter from God to His chosen people, His children. He reminds us that He is preeminent and the only One who can redeem us, as well as be our sure foundation or Rock.

It is assumed in this part of the chapter that God’s children have strayed and committed idolatry. God is still trying to open their eyes to that reality, because idolatry brings with it a certain myopathy. We cannot see the sinfulness of our actions when we worship other people or things in life. We lose our point of reference—God.

He’s the only One who brings perspective into our lives—truth into our lives.

Everything and everyone else—when set up as our foundation or point of reference—will distort our view.

We will see our big sins as little or as not even there. We will see our small sins as “ambition,” “persistence,” or even as our “strength” simply being expressed “outside the box.”

But that “box,” however we want to redefine it (so that we feel better) represents the boundary lines that God’s given us. And it’s only within those boundaries that we find our sweet spot.

Despite that truth, we keep looking for that sweet spot outside the box or boundary lines of God—convincing ourselves that the sweet spot “is surely somewhere else!” We soon discover that it’s not somewhere else.

Or we may continue to believe the lie that we just haven’t wandered far enough yet … that our “sweet spot” is just beyond the horizon. But the further we run toward the sun, the darker and more desperate our lives become, because we’ve moved further and further away from the Son—the true Source of life and light.

I’m grateful for the way this section of the chapter draws to a conclusion. God reminds us that He has already swept away our sins like a cloud or morning mist is chased away by the sun. He takes them all away because of and through His grace! God has already provided the way out of our shame-filled fog, if we’ll just return to Him.

Also God reminds us near the end of this section, that He has redeemed us. What a beautiful word, because it tells us that He didn’t just save us, even though that would be more than enough! He “redeems” us and all our messes, our sins, and our failures.

We’re given a second chance and that second chance is more beautiful than our first chance because we have surrendered it to the masterful and artful hand of our Creator and Lord!

“’Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.’” -Psalm 16:5-6 (NIV)

So what is it that you’re clinging to or running after that you believe will give you what you want?

What are some insights you’ve gleaned from you daily devotional time? Please share!

Linking up with – Marriage Mondays, Making Your Home Sing Monday, Living Proverbs 31, Monday’s Musings, Red Hot Matrimony and Playdates with God