Who are you being molded by‪?‬ Sermon Podcast

Children are a beautiful thing.  One of the most interesting things about becoming a parent is how much our children reflect us as parents.   We have four children, and I did not think it would be possible for this to hold true with four different people four different personalities that each of our children have.  But it is.  
 It is amazing how our children have all the best qualities of Susan and me.  We often laugh and enjoy seeing these parts of their lives being lived out.   And as much as we enjoy seeing this in them, we have also become ever so aware that each of our children are also “blessed” with the worst parts of who Susan and I are as well.  And trust me, these characteristics do not make us laugh in the same way nor are they as enjoyable as the others to watch.  
But it is true.  In each of our children, we can see the best and worst parts of who we are. It truly is like looking into a mirror.  

Throughout the scriptures we see the effects of an unaware people living for themselves doing what they think is best without regard for what God has spoken.  We read about people living as though they know more than God or that God could not possibly mean what he has said.  We see people who refuse to believe and so they are shaped more by the people around them or the world around them than they are shaped by God’s design and desire for them.

Every time we see this happening, the bad of humanity gets fed.  Or we might more accurately say the evil in humanity gets fed and bad things start to happen.  
 Fortunately, God’s love is greater than man’s disregard for God.  God makes a way when there seems to be no way.  Praise be to God that He invites people back into a right relationship with Him.  Thanks be to God that He can reshape our lives to His image no matter how old or hard we have tried to shape ourselves or allowed the world to shape us.
We see this throughout the Old Testament, and we see it very clearly in today’s readings.

10  The Second Song of Isaiah Quaerite Dominum
Isaiah 55:6‑11
Seek the Lord while he wills to be found; call upon him when he draws near.  Let the wicked forsake their ways and the evil ones their thoughts; And let them turn to the Lord, and he will have compassion, and to our God, for he will richly pardon.  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways my ways, says the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth,    so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.  For as rain and snow fall from the heavens and return not again, but water the earth, Bringing forth life and giving growth, seed for sowing and bread for eating, So is my word that goes forth from my mouth; it will not return to me empty; But it will accomplish that which I have purposed, and prosper in that for which I sent it.
 Let us not be deceived little children.  Our thoughts are not wiser than God’s, our ways are not holier or higher than God’s.  God has always made a way for us to be reconciled to Him, to be redeemed by Him so that we can be who He has designed and desires for us to be.  That we would reflect the His glory because we are His child.  Therefore repent and turn to God that your sins may be wiped out forever, Amen.
Support the show