Immanuel: God with us(2)

Emmanovel` Asdova/ Myzi Hyd

Various Scriptures

Question:

How does God lead us?

 

-He leads us like a father, Abba, daddy, who holds the hand of his child and who loves to have an intimate relationship with His creatures.

-He leads us like a Shepherd, the good shepherd, the genuine one, who does not want anyone to be lost. He even leaves the ninety-nine and goes all the way to find the one who is lost.

King Davis describes God’s leadership in Psalm 77:

 

“The clouds poured down water, 
       the skies resounded with thunder; 
       your arrows flashed back and forth.

    18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, 
       your lightning lit up the world; 
       the earth trembled and quaked.

    19 Your path led through the sea, 
       your way through the mighty waters, 
       though your footprints were not seen.     

    20 You led your people like a flock 
       by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”

Do you see a secure road?

Thunders, lightings, whirlwinds, trembling quakes.  No and yes

Though we do not see His footprints, God is there leading us. This does not mean there will be no troubles. There will be. But His leadership is also there. He is there with us, Immanuel.

If you realized, some names were also mentioned: Moses and Aaron.

God put me here at CACC to lead you. I was terrified when I was writing this sermon. What a responsibility to hear the voice of the Lord in this “wild world” and to lead you in His way, not mine.

 

 

 

 

-He leads us also like the Eagle

      “Like an eagle that stirs up its nest 
       and hovers over its young, 
       that spreads its wings to catch them 
       and carries them on its pinions.

       The LORD alone led him; 
       no foreign god was with him.

       He made him ride on the heights of the land.” (Deuteronomy 32:11-13a)

The style of leadership we learn from the eagle is very interesting. The eagle takes his chicks over his wings and flies high. Then he drops them and watches over them as they try to fly. When he finds they cannot manage it, he flies under them and carries them back on his wings, flies high and tries it all over again.

 

God does not give up from us; we do, not Him.

He loves us so much. He has mercy and compassion toward us. He also disciplines us. He is holy and just, yet full of mercy and compassion. He knows how weak and fragile we are.

-The Israelites were not faithful to God in their walk. They quickly forgot who rescued them from the slavery of Egypt. They constantly complained to Moses. The consequence of their disobedience was costly to some.

“Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst.” (Nehemiah 9:19)

This is like the eagle, watching over his children while they try to fly.

 

But what should our reaction be to this leadership?

 

Allow God to lead you

David says in Psalm 61:2

“Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

David finds out as a king, a mighty king, he cannot do it alone. “God,” he says, “take me to a rock, to secure place, a firm foundation, and put me on the top of the rock so when the flood comes I can stand firm.”

The key is humbly allowing God to lead.

 

Today is the first Sunday of the year. It is the Sunday of dedication. I don’t know in your life what needs to be dedicated to God, so God can lead you. God does not force Himself upon you. He sent His Son and He did not force Himself upon us.

 

What is the prayer of David?

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; 
       test me and know my anxious thoughts.

    24 See if there is any offensive way in me, 
       and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 119:23-24)

Surrendering to God is the key to be led by God.

How is your heart’s condition this morning?

God is ready to test you. Are you ready to accept this test?

You have anxious thoughts; remember my last sermon about anxiety. God knows your anxiety. Come to Him. Let him carry you.

 

It reminds me of a man who is carrying a heavy load on his back. He is walking slowly down the road. A truck passes by. The driver stops and asks the man to jump to the back so he can help this man get rid of his heavy load. The man jumps on the back of the truck. After a while the driver of the truck looks back and finds the man sweating under the burden, because he was riding with the heavy load still on his back.

 

God leads you like a father.

Give Him your hand to guide day by day in the unknown future.

Give Him you full trust even though you know the road is going to be bumpy.  Give Him your whole being know that he knows best.

"If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” (Exodus 33:15)

You were with us, you are with us and you will be with us, Immanuel.

Amen