God's argument

Have you ever feel pain and disappointment - so much that you feel like God is the one to blame? Discouragement by people that makes you doubt His love for you? Or even the loss of a loved one that makes you hate God even?

Well, I have - I have often felt that i am unloved by God and that God doesn't care. And one thing i am sure of - is that during those down times- it's so easy for me to just listen to myself. It's so easy for me to shut my eyes and cover my ears to the testimony of EVERYTHING around me that testify His unfailing love for me.

Yes - the Bible even goes as far to say that ALL creation testify Him - the birds, the trees, the plants and rain and everything He created PROVES how much He loves us. Proves that He is GOD! The all mighty powerful all knowing God. But when we are down, discouraged and sad - all those facts are just nothing to us. The focus shift from the all mighty powerful God to this weak, worthless, useless person that can only complain and pity him/herself.

Sad eh - we forgot to see what GOD has to say about Himself - what argument does He have to defend Himself (eventhough He needs not to). i would like to share HIS argument against us - His most beloved creation. Hope this is encouraging - when you are in doubt, know that He cares and He knows.. NOTHING is ever hidden from Him.

1 Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,
whose right hand I have grasped,
to subdue nations before him
and to loose the belts of kings,
to open doors before him
that gates may not be closed:

2 " I will go before you
and level the exalted places,
I will break in pieces the doors of bronze
and cut through the bars of iron,

3 I will give you the treasures of darkness
and the hoards in secret places,
that you may know that it is I, the Lord,
the God of Israel, who call you by your name.

4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,
and Israel my chosen,
I call you by your name,
I name you, though you do not know me.

5 I am the Lord, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God;
I equip you, though you do not know me,

6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is none besides me;
I am the Lord, and there is no other.

7 I form light and create darkness,
I make well-being and create calamity,
I am the Lord, who does all these things.

8 "Shower, O heavens, from above,
and let the clouds rain down righteousness;
let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit;
let the earth cause them both to sprout;
I the Lord have created it.

9 "Woe to him who strives with him who formed him,
a pot among earthen pots!
Does the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?'
or 'Your work has no handles'?

10 Woe to him who says to a father, 'What are you begetting?'
or to a woman, 'With what are you in labor?' "

11 Thus says the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him:
"Ask me of things to come;
will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands?

12 I made the earth
and created man on it;
it was my hands that stretched out the heavens,
and I commanded all their host.

13 I have stirred him up in righteousness,
and I will make all his ways level;
he shall build my city
and set my exiles free,
not for price or reward,"
says the Lord of hosts.

14 Thus says the Lord:
"The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush,
and the Sabeans, men of stature,
shall come over to you and be yours;
they shall follow you;
they shall come over in chains and bow down to you.
They will plead with you, saying:
'Surely God is in you, and there is no other,
no god besides him.' "

15 Truly, you are a God who hides yourself,
O God of Israel, the Savior.

16 All of them are put to shame and confounded;
the makers of idols go in confusion together.

17 But Israel is saved by the Lord
with everlasting salvation;
you shall not be put to shame or confounded
to all eternity.

18 For thus says the Lord,
who created the heavens
(he is God!),
who formed the earth and made it
(he established it;
he did not create it empty,
he formed it to be inhabited!):
"I am the Lord, and there is no other.

19 I did not speak in secret,
in a land of darkness;
I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,
'Seek me in vain.'
I the Lord speak the truth;
I declare what is right.

20 "Assemble yourselves and come;
draw near together,
you survivors of the nations!
They have no knowledge
who carry about their wooden idols,
and keep on praying to a god
that cannot save.

21 Declare and present your case;
let them take counsel together!
Who told this long ago?
Who declared it of old?
Was it not I, the Lord?
And there is no other god besides me,
a righteous God and a Savior;
there is none besides me.

22 "Turn to me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.

23 By myself I have sworn;
from my mouth has gone out in righteousness
a word that shall not return:
'To me every knee shall bow,
every tongue shall swear allegiance.'

24 "Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me,
are righteousness and strength;
to him shall come and be ashamed
all who were incensed against him.

25 In the Lord all the offspring of Israel
shall be justified and shall glory."

Isaiah 45:1-25 (ESV)