Still re-learning the SAME lessons - 30

"'Ah, stubborn children'" declares the LORD,

'who carry out a plan,

but not mine, and who make an alliance,

but not of my Spirit, that they add sin to sin;

who set to go down to Egypt without asking my direction...'"

Isaiah 30:1-2a

"Egypt's help is worthless and empty;

therefore I have called her Rahab who sits still."

Isaiah 30:7

"And now, go write it before them on a tablet

and inscribe it in a book,

that it may be for the time to come as a witness forever.

For they are a rebellious people...

children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord..."

Isaiah 30:8-9

"In returning and rest you shall be saved;

in quietness and in trust shall be your strength..."

Isaiah 30:15a

Why do we so readily run to solutions of the world rather than look to our creator? We turn to the powers of our time before we seek God. We're no different than the Israelites. We all, it seems, have to learn the same lessons. And I'm sure, just like the Israelites, we sadden God's heart.

We can read Isaiah 30 and think, "the Israelites WANT to go back to the people who made them salves?! Are they crazy?!" But how often do we turn to (or are at least tempted) devices of the world? We all have our weaknesses.

Personally, when I'm down I like to shop Rather than turning to God, I go blow some dough on clothes, jewelry, bags, etc. I know it doesn't really help, yet I want to do it anyhow. Just like the Israelites I'm "unwilling to hear the instruction of the LORD."

I wish it could stop there. I wish that's as bad as it gets, but it's not. The Israelites resorted to telling their prophets they didn't want to hear how upset God was, they only wanted the good news. How often do we have selective hearing? Listening only to what we WANT to hear; or just wanting the good news without the bad.

Thousands of years later humanity is still learning the same lessons, still pulled towards the same distractions and evils.

We don't know how to REST in God. And it's often hard for us to return to Him. But that's what He desires of us. To "return and rest" in Him; to lean towards "quietness and trust". All we have to do is call to Him, because God ALWAYS hears the cries of His people.