April 28, 2024
In that day the remnant of Israel, the survivors of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God. Though your people be like the sand by the sea, Israel, only a remnant will return. Destruction has been decreed, overwhelming and righteous.
- Isaiah 10:20-22
Today, we will wrap up our exploration of God’s grace-chosen remnant. In the last two days, we have explored how the remnant have a deep and complete trust in God. We also saw how the remnant are heirs of God’s promise—chosen deliberately by God.
Today we will look at two more characteristics of the remnant—their love for God (and obedience to Him), and God’s constant watch over them.
First, the remnant have a deep love for God. They live according to the Word of God that says: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30). This love results in obedience to God’s Word.
As we have seen in previous days, as Christians, we are the remnant! And because of this, we are to love and obey God. What does it mean to love God? When we love God, we value what He values, and the things that matter to God matter to us. Loving God completely leaves no room for anything or anyone else to supersede Him or take His place in our hearts. Our lives must continually flow from our love for God. It is our priority to love God with everything that we are. And according to John 14:21, the expression of this love is obedience—the keeping of God’s commands.
No matter what comes around the corner, God remains constant and in control, and nothing surprises Him.
The other characteristic of the remnant is that The Lord’s eye never ever leaves the remnant (“The Lord looked down from His sanctuary on high, from heaven He viewed the earth” - Psalms 102:19). God has the bird’s eye view of everything we go through as Christians, and nothing ever takes Him by surprise. With God there is never an “Oops He did not see that coming”. He looks down from the heavens and His view sees the complete picture. God is all-knowing and all-seeing and is always in control no matter what we face in life. No matter what comes around the corner, God remains constant and in control, and nothing surprises Him.
Therefore, as God’s chosen, we can rest assured that nothing catches God by surprise. Even when we are surprised, He isn’t!
When we imbibe the qualities of the grace-chosen remnant—a complete trust in God, a conscious identity of being heirs to His promise, a true love for Him expressed in obedience and an awareness of His omniscience and watchfulness, we can navigate our lives as those truly chosen by grace.
May we embody the qualities of God’s chosen people today and always in Jesus name. Amen.
Song of Worship
We are a chosen generation
Called forth to show His righteousness
All I desire for life, God has given me
I know who I am
I know who I am. Song by Sinach
Prayer - Heavenly Father, as Your grace-chosen remnant, help us to embody complete trust in You, love You deeply, and obey Your commands. May we always remember Your constant watchfulness and omniscience—trusting that You hold us in the hollow of your hands. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Bible in 1 year: 1 Kings 8-9