Thought for January 11

 History:

• 1838: First public demonstration of telegraph messages [dots/dashes]
• 1869: First African American Sunday School organized by Rev. Kelly Lowe in Augusta GA
• 1913: First sedan type car displayed--Hudson
• 1922: Insulin first used to treat diabetes in humans
• 1927: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences created
• 1940: Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet" premiers
• 1961: Race riot at the University of Georgia [I arrived in 1964]
• 1973: American League adopts designated hitter
• 1976: Dorothy Hammel wins third consecutive US Figure Skating Championship
• Born: Alexander Hamilton, Alexander Calder, Carroll Shelby, Rod Taylor, Naomi Judd, John Piper, Ben Crenshaw, Tracy Caulkins, Thomas Vaughn [best grandson ever]
• Died: Timothy Dwight, Francis Scott Key, Gail Borden [condensed milk], Thomas Hardy, John Bradley [raised the flag on Mt. Suribachi], Edmund Hillary [Mt. Everest]

Timothy Dwight wrote "I Love Thy Kingdom Lord." More importantly, he started a revival on the campus of Yale where he was president. The grandson of Jonathan Edwards, Dwight was very smart--learned the alphabet in his first sitting, read the Bible at age 4 and taught the catechism to Native Americans living near his home. Entered Yale at 13. Elected President of Yale in 1795 at a time when campuses were dead to Christianity--rationalism reigned [sounds like today]. Dwight started debates on the question "Are the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments the Word of God?" Within 2 years there were a dozen Christian students and within 7 years one-third of the students professed Christ. 

Thought:

Looking at Isaiah 1:11-17 this morning where I have underlined several verses. 

God looks at the people of Judah and says:

• I have had enough
• Of your burnt offerings [1:11]
• Of your sacrifices. [1:11]
• Of your assemblies [1:13]
• of your feats and sabbaths [1:13, 14]
• These 
• Are nothing to me [1:11]
• Do not give Me pleasure [1:11]
• Are worthless [1:13]
• Are an abomination [1:13
• Are hated [1:13]
• Why?
• Iniquity [1:13]
• Bloody hands [1:15]
• So I
• Don't hear your prayers [1:15]
• What can we do, Lord?
• Wash yourselves and be clean. [1:16]
• Stop doing evil in God's sight [1:16]
• Learn to do good [1:17]
• Seek justice [1:17]
• Reprove then ruthless [1:17
• Defend the orphan [1:17]
• Plead for the widow [1:17]
• Then the Lord will make our scarlet sins as white as snow [1:18]

This makes me stop and think about my life, my church and my nation. God does not need my offerings or sacrifices. He speaks worlds into existence and owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He can touch rivers and they flow with blood, He can raise His staff and rivers part and dry land appears. He can stop the earth from spinning and cause the sun's shadow to retreat. He can heal the leper with a touch. He can destroy an army with confusion. 

God sees everything, knows every thought, hears every word. So my tithes and offerings, my worship services, my special events and special emphases don't mean anything if my hands are filled with sin and my heart is far from God. 

But God is loving and gracious, slow to anger and filled with mercy. so he invites me to repent, turn around, stop what I am doing and keep His commandments. I am struck by His command to "learn to do good." I must be taught how to be good and do good. The Counselor, the guide, the Holy Spirit teaches me how to be like Christ. My job is to learn, obey, yield, die. Lord, help us. Show us our secret sins. Help us to walk worthy of Your calling. 

Blessings

Larry