DAY 1
merciful and mighty
Isaiah 40 is a wonderful chapter about God! It starts with a clear focus on His MERCY and faithfulness (40:1-8) and finishes with a strong revelation of His MIGHT and power (4:12-31).
In the middle of the chapter, the emphasis is on how we are to proclaim and believe this good news:
You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”
– Isaiah 40:9
Or in the words of our series: “This is Our God!”
Then, there’s a brief summary of how MIGHTY our God is:
See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.
This is followed by a reminder of how MERCIFUL He is:
He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
QUOTABLE QUOTE
There is not a flower that opens, not a seed that falls into the ground, and not an ear of wheat that nods on the end of its stalk in the wind that does not preach and proclaim the greatness and the mercy of God to the whole world.
– Billy Graham
preach - part one
by Dave Smith
In summary, He is a MERCIFUL God who COMFORTS us, and a MIGHTY God who STRENGTHENS us. We will unpack each of these wonderful truths in Days 2 and 3, but for now take time to consider which of the three balloons, referred to in the preach, most describes where you’re at; partially or completely deflated, filled with your own energy, self-effort and plans, or filled with the Holy Spirit – or maybe you’re feeling partially filled and needing a fresh infilling. It may be a mixture of all three.
Prayer points
- So, today, take time to invite the Spirit to fill or re-fill you and allow Him to comfort and strengthen you, if there are circumstances and situations that are leaving you discouraged or exhausted.
- Think about others in your family and friendship circles. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring specific people to mind, then pray that they, too, will know the Lord’s comfort and strength.
- Pray over your VIPs, that you would have opportunities to tell the good news of who God is and how much He loves them – declare over them, ‘This is your God! Pray that they would be born again and filled with the Holy Spirit.
- Pray for the political leaders in our nation; that they would know God’s mercy and strength, and that by His mighty hand they would walk in righteousness, with wisdom and integrity.
pray for sudan
Dear Lord, we are grieved to hear news of violence in Sudan. We especially remember all the children who are being impacted by this conflict and pray for protection on them and their families. Lord, we know that people are hurting deeply, and our thoughts are with them. You know the hearts of all involved, and we pray that you will heal their hurts – bringing peace and reconciliation. Loving Father, we pray for the people of Sudan who have already seen so much devastation in their country. May you comfort them in their grief. Keep the flames of hope alive and restore the nation. And Lord, we thank you for all the good that has been accomplished in Sudan through World Vision and others. We pray that you will be with aid workers at this time. Keep them and their families safe – may they return safely to their work very soon. In Your name we pray. Amen.
Because of your generous giving we have given £10,000 to World Vision out of our Mission Fund to help with the crisis in Sudan.