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Day 205, or July 24. Just offer what you are. Our thoughts today are rooted in Isaiah chapter

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42, verse 3. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.

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In faithfulness he will bring forth justice. First the big picture surrounding this verse.

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Under his historic interlude, Isaiah proceeds to paint the picture of the coming Messiah,

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and for his final 27 chapters we are given many glimpses of the suffering, glorious Christ

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who is to come, but not for another 700 years. He begins with the word comfort and repeats

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it many times, as he confirms God will act soon, and all his actions will be for our

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ultimate comfort and well-being, as well as for the good of all men and women. These prophecies

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demand a response from us, but in addition Isaiah tells us that we have been chosen.

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We choose, and so does God. Two sides of a spiritual transaction that must be held together

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if we are to see the whole picture of salvation.

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And now today's action step. Someone once said that most of the big things that have

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been completed throughout history were done by people who didn't feel very well. When

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I heard this I found myself smiling and nodding my head in agreement, because despite our

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usual response to the question, how are you, we are very rarely fine thanks. We are not

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always on top form, especially when we get older, but God can still use us. Actually

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the Bible has many instances where God uses people in their senior years. Just consider

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Moses, Aaron, Caleb, etc., etc. The apostle Paul could have been reflecting on this verse

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from Isaiah when he wrote to the church in Corinth, when he says, That's why I take

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pleasure in my weaknesses, for when I am weak, then I am strong. God isn't waiting for you

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to be strong or totally on fire for him, he is simply waiting for you to respond and be

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ready for action. God wants you to act now even though you are only a bruised reed or

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a smouldering wick. That's now, not tomorrow.