Verse of the Day 6/15

Through the Bible - Jeremiah 27-29, Matthew 25:31-46

 

Good morning,

Yesterday morning I flew into Sacramento CA on a business trip.  As the plane approached I could see the vast farm fields, many of them flooded with water despite somewhat arid surroundings.  The source of the water and the reason these fields were lush and green were that the farmers irrigate these fields.  The intentional flooding is done so that the fields will produce fruit.

 

This morning's Daily Bread devotional (www.rbc.org) brought me to Isaiah 55 where we'll go for today's verse.

 

Isaiah 55:10-11 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) For just as rain and snow fall from heaven,
    and do not return there
    without saturating the earth,
    and making it germinate and sprout,
    and providing seed to sow
    and food to eat,

    ¹¹ so My word that comes from My mouth
    will not return to Me empty,
    but it will accomplish what I please,
    and will prosper in what I send it [to do]."

Reading the  HCSB  which speaks of God's Word "saturating the earth", it was easy to correlate the scenes of the flooded fields and  lush growth that resulted.  Driving from Sacramento to Lodi we drove past miles of vineyards, row after row of perfectly watered and cultivated vines that would produce fruit and ultimately new wine.  The farmers in this case sent the water into the field.  It is also interesting to note where this water came from.  It came from the nearby snow capped mountains that even in summer, were still yielding the runoff from the previous winter's snow.

 

So it is with God's Word.  He has sent it to us.  If the soil, our hearts are well watered by the Word, God will produce fruit in our lives.  John MacArthur writes, "Moisture from heaven invariably accomplishes its intended purpose in helping meet human physical needs.  The Word of God will likewise produce its intended results in fulfilling God's spiritual purposes."

 

The question is, what are you doing with God's Word?  Are you letting in flow on by or are you taking the time to flood your field, the soil of your heart and soul, to nourish you and cause you to grow for God's intended purpose?

 

Seek Him while He may be found (v.6).

 

Blessings,
Mike
Follow the verse of the day at mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Isaiah 55:6-13

English Standard Version (ESV)

 ⁶ "Seek the LORD while he may be found;
   call upon him while he is near;
⁷let the wicked forsake his way,
   and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,
   and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
⁸For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
   so are my ways higher than your ways
   and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 ¹⁰ "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
   and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
¹¹so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
   it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
   and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

 ¹² "For you shall go out in joy
   and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
   shall break forth into singing,
   and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
¹³ Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
   instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the LORD,
   an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."