Isaiah 19

Isaiah 19 starts with a visual that made me smile.  Not in a funny way, but the picture that came to  my mind was sweet.  “Watch this!  God riding on a fast moving cloud”.  (Message version).  Can you picture it.  God being able to be in total control of His creation.  He is and we need to never forget that.  Riding clouds is no big deal for God.  He made them, He put them up there in the sky.  This chapter really is about the transformation of Pharaoh’s Egypt and the bringing to submission the people there.  They were arrogant and foolish.  They thought they really were something special.  But they weren’t and scripture says “there’s not a wise man or woman left in the country”.  They were absorbed with self and what they wanted.  And God doesn’t tolerate that.  He is bringing them to the reality that He alone is God.  The Nile dries up, and all they depend on vanishes.  They come to the end of themselves and cry out for “a savior who will keep them safe and take care of them”.  That is the spot we all need to get to.  To recognize that we need God and it is no longer about ourselves.  It is totally about God and who He is and what He does.  Not about me, not about what I do, not about what I think or want.  Scripture tells us God will “wound Egypt, first hit and then heal”.  He is not able to just ignore those who chose to ignore Him.  When they finally come back to God, He is willing to listen to their prayers and heal them.  He is a God of grace and mercy, but it has to start with repentance and recognition that He is who He says.  We have to come to God so He can release His goodness on us.  The principle is the same today.  We need to put off the focus on self, and come to God.  Are you doing that?  He is riding on a cloud and watching your life and mine.  Let’s walk to Him so we can walk with Him.