Verse of the Day 5/20

Verse of the Day 5/20

Isaiah 48:12-13 "Listen to me, O family of Jacob,

    Israel my chosen one!
I alone am God,
    the First and the Last.
¹³ It was my hand that laid the foundations of the earth,
    my right hand that spread out the heavens above.
When I call out the stars,
    they all appear in order."    New Living Translation (NLT)

Today, there are more Bible translations and paraphrases that we can count.  Each year more and more are added to the list.  Through Bible Gateway and other sources we have access to many of them.  I like to use this as a reference when focusing on a verse to see some various ways that some words are translated.  When I came to today's verse it was one of those seemingly rare occasions where the different translations called out in unison saying "listen to me".  That has been the call of the Bible, the call of the prophets and indeed the call of the Lord God through the ages, to listen to Him, to hear what He has to say to us, to take it into account and apply it in our lives.

If the elements that created the world and everything in it hear and respond to His voice how much more should we as "intelligent" beings respond to our creator.  The Word is still calling out to us as chosen people, it is alive and will remain so.

Looking out from his throne
Father of light and of men
Chose to make himself known
And show us the way back to Him

Speaking wisdom and truth
Into the hearts of peasants and kings
He began to unveil
The word that would change the course of all things
With eyes wide open all who'd see

The word is alive
And it cuts like the sword through the darkness
With a message of life to the hopeless and the frail
Breathing life into all who believe

The word is alive
And the world and its glories will fade
But its truth, it will not pass away
It remains yesterday and forever the same
The word is alive    (The Word is Alive - Casting Crowns)

May our eyes be wide open to see what He has to say to us in His Word and to listen for the Spirit's call to apply His Word to our lives this day.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Isaiah 48:12-16 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Lord's Call to Israel

¹² "Listen to me, O Jacob,
    and Israel, whom I called!
I am he; I am the first,
    and I am the last.
¹³ My hand laid the foundation of the earth,
    and my right hand spread out the heavens;
when I call to them,
    they stand forth together.

¹⁴ "Assemble, all of you, and listen!
    Who among them has declared these things?
The Lord loves him;
    he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,
    and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.
¹⁵ I, even I, have spoken and called him;
    I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.
¹⁶ Draw near to me, hear this:
    from the beginning I have not spoken in secret,
    from the time it came to be I have been there."
And now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit.