The Kind Of Person You Want To Be

Scripture Reading: Psalm 103-107, Exodus 15 (any material that recounts God’s acts of power or illustrates his people actively remembering his mighty works)

As you read the Bible you will come across statements said by others that in your heart you will want to be able to say yourself. For example when you and I read of Joshua saying… "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD" Joshua 24:15

Does not your heart cry out "Yes that’s what I say to! This describes where my heart is at and what I want for my family"

Another example of a statement in the scriptures that you in your heart most likely wants to personally say is this…. "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enable me to go on the heights" Habakkuk 3:17-19

Doesn’t having a heart like Habakkuk’s appeal to you. Does not his conviction ring as something you would like to be able to say "No matter WHAT I’m going to delight in God and trust in Him, because he is my strength and will carry me home"

Which one of us does not long to say as Paul did "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." II Timothy 4:7-8

I trust that these are statements that you yourself have said and affirmed. I trust that in your hearing of these 3 scriptures that in your heart you have said YES LORD I want that to be me. That describes where I’m at with you. There words perfectly reflect my sentiments.

Today we are going to consider Isaiah 26:8.

My prayer is that the words of Isaiah 26:8 will strike a cord in your hearts. My prayer is that the declaration and heart reflected of those speaking in Isaiah 26:8 will also find a place upon your lips. I trust that upon examination of this text that you will want to say "This is the kind of person I want to be! That’s where my heart is at. This is what I want to be able to say to God"

READ v.8

Here in our text Judah is pictured as a land that will one day have God as her wall of protection. A time was coming when the land of Judah would be a place of safety and refuge against her enemies. Yes her enemies would still exist but God himself would march out against them to destroy them. Judah is also pictured as a place, a city open to the godly the world over –to them her gates are open.

Within the land and the city are godly inhabitants. There lives have not always been easy, particularly so as the followers of God. Yet faithful they have been.

Isaiah envisions the godly inhabitants of the protected city saying the words of v.8. This is their confession to God. This is their joy. This is the kind of people that they have been in the midst of hardship and trial as they had waited for God. In v. 8 they as it were are pictured as reporting to God.

I trust that the words that the people of Isaiah 26:8 are pictured as saying reflect your heart, the kind of person you want to be. I trust their confession is one that you want to make.

FIRSTLY I want to say "Yes, in the way of your judgments, O LORD, have I waited for you"

I want to be able to say to the Lord "Faithful to all of your standards and laws I have been throughout the years I have eagerly waited for your coming and deliverance of me from this sin filled world". This is what I want to be able to joyfully proclaim

The challenge for us presented in the first part of this verse is being men and women who are 100% committed to being submitted to all of God’s laws/standards/rulings.