“I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me;
I was found by those who did not seek me.
To a nation that did not call on my name,
I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’”
Isaiah 65:1
In this passage of Isaiah God is speaking about the Israelites. He is making the important point that Israel didn’t come and find him first, they didn’t cry out looking for him, but the opposite. His chosen people didn’t know him, look for him, or even want him. He wanted them. He chose them. And he revealed himself to them. This may not seem like that important of a point, but it makes all the difference, even now in our lives.
God doesn’t need us, to put it simply. He is all powerful, all knowing, perfectly good and just, and eternal. There’s nothing that we can do to make him better or stronger than he already is. God doesn’t need us. He wants us.
That distinction makes all the difference. From the very beginning of time and creation, God has been chasing after us as we repeatedly go astray. He chose Israel to be his people. They forsake him over and over. And though they did face consequences, God was still there to forgive them every time and to make good on his promises. Even in their moments of faithlessness, he was faithful.
We never would have found God on our own. We never would have known him if he hadn’t called out to us. But he did. And he still does today. For many Christians, we’ve known about God as long as we’ve been alive thanks to family and friends who have shared the good news. For some, the news came later in life. Regardless, none of us, not a single one, figured it out all on their own. God called us and he gave us the gift of relationship with him, the gift of faith.
We must always remember that though God doesn’t need us, he wants us. Not only does he want us, but he wants us so badly that he spent all of human history planning our redemption, bringing it to fulfillment through Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, we all may have a right relationship with God, even despite our sin. And all of this is because, before anything we ever did, God loved us and wanted us.
Prayer:
God,
It is so good to know that not only am I loved and wanted, but I am loved and wanted by the Almighty God of heaven and earth and the whole universe, the one true, good, and powerful God. You are holy and righteous and everything good, and I am not worthy of you on my own. Thank you for Jesus whose sacrifice covers my sin and makes me worthy through his righteousness to have a relationship with you. Thank you for choosing me. I love you Lord, and I am humbled to be numbered among your people.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
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