Is 49:8-15 Ps 145:8-9, 13cd-14, 17-18 Jn 5:17-30

Weekly Guide for Daily Prayer Praying Lent The Daily Reflections

Today’s scripture provided a wonderful reminder of God’s constant presence and protection in my life. While this is something that remains conceptually constant for me (I believe it to be true as it is part of God’s word) it is something that my heart can sometimes, and sadly often does, forget.  The moments I find myself worrying, the moments I find myself fearful of the future and of what it might hold…I often realize that my heart has lost its connection to the power in the truth that the Lord will never leave nor forsake me.

In Isaiah 49:8-15, God responds to the Israelites concerns and worries about being forsaken by him (even though he has continuously protected and provided for them). How similar this is to myself and my response to the Lord. Despite even the most incredible examples of grace and provision in my life, a singular event or a moment of difficulty can leave me paralyzed with the fear that the Lord (and everyone else) has surely forgotten about me. Just like the Israelites, my heart is a fickle one indeed. Thankfully, the Lord assures us that he will always be there for us. In Isaiah 49:15 he states,  “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.” What a powerful comparison, and what a powerful impact this can have in my own life if I allow it to!  My prayer is that we would all allow this truth to be truly transformational in our lives and that we would call upon the Lord in prayer (Psalm 145:18) in both good times and “bad” times.