From Calvary Chapel of Roswell

Pastor Jim Suttle

Msg #520                                         Wednesday, August 20, 2008

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 “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel,

Who have been upheld by Me from birth,

who have been carried from the womb:

Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you!

I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. (Is 46:3-4)

God carries His kids!

Christian – God Himself is carrying you.  Think of this, God – all powerful, all wise, perfect, holy and good – God Himself is carrying you.  Wow.

What does it mean for God to carry us?  Webster’s dictionary helps us with these synonyms: “To bear, to provide for, to uphold, to be responsible for, to hold, to convey and to support”.   Please this list of synonyms again – and realize that this is true of what God is doing for you, today!   

As wonderful as this is – it is not true of everyone reading this.   Contrary to some popular thought – every human being is not Biblically considered God’s child.   The wonderful status of being God’s kid – is only for those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior and have become Christians. 

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: (Jn 1:12)

I urge you if you have not done this, to accept Jesus and become His child today!

Yet, for the Christian, the problem is that God’s carrying us is often quite invisible to us.  I think of the familiar poem “Footprints in the Sand ”.  In the Poem a man is able to look back on his life as a progression of footprints and he sees two sets of footprints.  God communicates to him that one set is his and one set God’s.  Then the man notices that there are places where there was only one set of footprints.  Further he notices that those places were the lowest and hardest places of his life and he questions God on why God abandoned him in those places.  God communicates lovingly and kindly that He did no such thing – it was in those places were God was carrying the man.  Great picture!

Do you see the problem pictured by this poem?  In those hard places of life the man did not immediately perceive that it was God carrying him.  Therein lies our problem – we cannot always feel God carrying us.   Because of who God is and the way He works – His carrying us is not always an overtly visible thing…but it is nonetheless true – more than true!

What makes this such a problem?  Well, in the context of our verses above, the children of Israel are tempted to forsake God and turn to idols – that although the idols would not be able carry them…they could at least see the idols!   God rebukes them and shows them the folly of such thoughts.  He calls them to see how God has never abandoned them, has carried them and worked with them.  God calls them to stick with Him.

Maybe today – this is exactly where you are.   Because of events in your life, you are finding yourself wondering where God is…if He cares… if He is at work.  In fact, you find yourself tempted to turn to another source for support – even the things in the world, be it money, drugs, alcohol, mindless entertainment or other such “supports”.  Yet these things do not carry you, they only burden you down more.   Now on top of your trials you have to support and carry your idol!  What sense does that make? 

Today, I call you to put your trust in God who carries us!

I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you. (Is 46:4)

Jim

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