DIVINE LOVE lll
MEMORISE: In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. Isaiah 63:9
READ: Isaiah 63:7 -9
7I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.
8 For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.
9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
MESSAGE
The very first time I read our memory verse for today (Isaiah 63:9), I couldn’t believe my eyes. The first sentence really surprised me. “In all their affliction he was afflicted”
Whenever those that God loves are afflicted He is afflicted too. No wonder in Matthew 25:37-40, Jesus referred to Himself as the one in prison, the one who was hungry and so on, while the people He was talking to saw other humans in those situations. Anytime God's beloved is in pain, He is in pain too. Galatians 6:10 says:
“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
It makes sense that when we, His beloved, are in pain, He is in pain too. When you see someone you love in pain, you wish that the pain could be transferred to you. Each time someone you love is suffering, you are suffering too.
This explains 1 Peter 2:24 to us:
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
What He is saying there is, 'Let your sickness fall on me'. He was saying 'I would rather die than see you die'. This gives me the assurance that aches and pains cannot stay in my body. You can say confidently to any pain in your body, "Jesus and l cannot suffer for the same thing. He has already suffered my pain, so l cannot be in pain again." If death tries to threaten, tell him, "Jesus died so that l can live". It is because of Jesus' love for me that l know l can never be poor. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
Surrender your life to Jesus and forsake all your sins if you also want to experience this special divine love.
ACTION POINT
Consider whatever challenges you are facing now and tell it, "You cannot afflict Jesus and afflict me. Jesus has paid the price for me , so get out of my life in the name of Jesus."
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jude 1- Revelation 4
HYMN 24: THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOR
1 Through the love of God our Saviour,
all will be well.
Free and changeless is his favour,
all, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us,
perfect is the grace that sealed us,
strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,
all must be well.
2 Though we pass through tribulation,
all will be well.
Ours is such a full salvation,
all, all is well.
Happy, still in God confiding,
fruitful, if in Christ abiding,
holy, through the Spirit’s guiding,
all must be well.
3 We expect a bright tomorrow,
all will be well.
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
'All, all is well.'
On our Father’s love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
in our living, in our dying,
all must be well.
