Blessing into praise

I sat before my television watching commercials and movie trailers (oh, and that football game on occasion, as well). There before my eyes and ears was Christina Aguilera singing the national anthem. See, the thing about singing the national anthem before millions of folks, the one thing really, is that once you're asked to sing it, you might ought to learn the words. Christna learned words, just not the right ones.

There's a real lesson there. Once one attempts to sing on national television, of any kind but especially before the SUPER BOWL, one accepts the possibility of nerves interfering with capability. One understands that ones voice becomes almost second-place to getting the performance right. Christina did not, and she will go down in history as perhaps the only one to flub the words of the anthem.

God hasn't spoken to the national anthem and getting the words right, but he has sent us language in Isaiah that speaks to the possibility of flubbing life itself.

We've sinned (flubbed) and kept at it so long! Is there any hope for us? Can we be saved? We're all sin-infected, sin-contaminated. Our best efforts are grease-stained rags. We dry up like autumn leaves -- sin-dried, we're blown off by the wind. No one prays to you or makes the effort to reach out to you because you've turned away from us, left us to stew in our sins."

The question of the day is "can we be saved?" Despite the infection, the contamination, the mistakes, the flubs, the errors, can we be saved?

The answer, of course, is yes. But the DESPITE in the sentence is a vital, important one. Despite the infection. Despite the contamination. Despite the mistakes, flubs, errors, we can be saved. But not by any thing we do, any thing we have, any resume, any family, any funds, any personal plan or action.

"I, God, will put you to death and give a new name to my servants. Then whoever prays a blessing in the land will use my faithful name for the blessing."

God will save.

Immanuel will be among us.

His blessing will cover us like dew saturating the ground on a winter's morning. His grace will soak us like joy in the evening.

"No more sounds of weeping in the city, no cries of anguish; No more babies dying in the cradle, or old people who don't enjoy a full lifetime ..."

This morning understand how wonderfully blessed you are. God has poured "robust well-being into (Israel, your own life) like a river, the glory of nations like a river in flood."

You are blessed. Turn the blessing into praise for Him who walks with us. Immanuel is with us.