No More Ruin

Isaiah 60: ¹⁸ No longer will violence be heard in your land,
    nor ruin or destruction within your borders,
but you will call your walls Salvation
    and your gates Praise.
¹⁹ The sun will no more be your light by day,
    nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you,
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,
    and your God will be your glory.

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“I AM going to ruin you” were the words I heard as I prayed about my situation.  “Ruin” I thought to myself. Why ruin me? I mean haven’t I done X, Y and Z? This was not the best choice of words during an already stressful time. I expected GOD to say to me “Everything will be fine or don’t worry” instead HE told me to “Pray for my enemies.” Wait a minute, what about me?

• As a young follower of GOD I thought nothing should go wrong?
• As an immature follower of GOD I thought everything should go my way and I could act any old way towards anyone and still be forgiven and blessed.
• As an infantile flower of GOD I never thought I would hear the words “I AM going to ruin you.”

I don’t think I uttered these words to people around me. I mean I was used to being on top and having many people praise “me” for my stature. I was on the very top and I loved the respect it brought. Who wants to be “low” again?

• Looking back I can see GOD wanted me to see HIM no matter where HE took me.
• Looking back I can see GOD wanted to remove distractions to doing HIS will.
• Looking back I can see GOD wanted me to have a real relationship with HIM, not one that only depended on HIM giving me everything I wanted, like a spoiled brat.

GOD only “ruins” HIS children for a short time, otherwise who would stand. HE wants me to depend upon HIS salvation and have true praise within my walls. HE wants me to look on HIS everlasting light and know I am protected only by HIM.

• Is GOD ruining you?
• Are you squirming because it seems hard and difficult?
• Will you stop squirming and know HE is making you stronger?
• Will you allow HIM to grow you up for HIS purposes?

Never Disappointed

Isaiah 49: ¹⁹ “Though you were ruined and made desolate
    and your land laid waste,
now you will be too small for your people,
    and those who devoured you will be far away.
²⁰ The children born during your bereavement
    will yet say in your hearing,
‘This place is too small for us;
    give us more space to live in.’
²¹ Then you will say in your heart,
    ‘Who bore me these?
I was bereaved and barren;
    I was exiled and rejected.
    Who brought these up?
I was left all alone,
    but these—where have they come from?’”

²² This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“See, I will beckon to the nations,
    I will lift up my banner to the peoples;
they will bring your sons in their arms
    and carry your daughters on their hips.
²³ Kings will be your foster fathers,
    and their queens your nursing mothers.
They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground;
    they will lick the dust at your feet.
Then you will know that I am the Lord;
    those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”

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Just a little salt is what the recipe called for. As I tipped the shaker, the top fell off and the entire contents flew into the pot. The dish I made was ruined. Another time, I spent hours drawing a house for a class, with meticulous detail. I made a mistake in my calculations and had to erase the blunder. After erasing too many times, I ripped the paper ever so slightly. The drawing was ruined.

• I do not like things to get ruined.
• I do not like situations where something gets ruined.
• I do not like going through the process of being ruined.

“Ruined” sounds so permanent. I mean once something is ruined, it means it is no good to anyone anymore, right? Wrong!

• GOD ruins me to open up my eyes.
• GOD ruins me to change my path to HIS restoration.
• GOD ruins me to open up my hands in dependence of HIS way.

Every once in a while I have had to go through some situation or circumstance that felt horrible at the time. BUT GOD was with me especially when I felt alone. HE was there when the crowd stepped away and blamed me for my very existence. I place my hope in GOD and have never been disappointed.

Are you being ruined?

• Can you not see the light at the end of the tunnel?
• Will you praise GOD for ruining you for HIS purpose?
• Will you allow HIM to restore you HIS way instead of yours?
• Can you place your hope in GOD today?