Isaiah 43:10-11 “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.
I, even I, am the Lord,
and apart from me there is no savior.

This is as clear a statement of the uniqueness of the Creator as could be written, but there are some who would attribute human characteristics to Him and say that of course He would say such things about Himself, whether or not they were true. Such a person is determined not to submit to their Creator in the first place! There are many logical reasons to believe in a Creator, but it ultimately comes down to a decision, and some people refuse to make it. However, they are ignoring the reality that they are mortal, and the time will come when the truth will be inescapable. As Paul wrote, the time will come when every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, whe­ther they ever did before or not. (Philippians 2:11) As has been com­mented, if God is not real and there is just nothing after death, we have lost nothing by living as though He were real. However, if He is real, and we face judgment after death, (Hebrews 9:27) then we lose everything by failing to live as though He were real. Some people in­sist that religions are all superstitions, dreamed up to try to explain things that primitive peoples couldn’t understand, but that we live in the “enlightened” age of science, and we don’t need such things. That was the stated position of Karl Marx, who called religion “the opiate of the masses.” Such hubris is sadly popular even today. The amazing thing is not that God exists, but that He loves His creation enough to divide Himself, as it were, to send His Son into the world to take the penalty for the sins of mankind, and then further send His Spirit to indwell all who would open their hearts to Him in faith. Now that is a miracle! However, hundreds of years before those things happened on the human scale, God is here declaring that He is the only Savior. It does take faith to believe such a thing, but God provides it for all who will open their heart to accept it.

This is of course why I am alive today and ministering in Japan. I am totally convinced that God created me, flaws and all, and He has chosen to use me in this nation, again flaws and all. The early part of this chapter has been set to music and is a powerful encouragement to me as I face trials of all sorts. My life continues to go through different periods, some of which could be called green pastures, some rushing rivers, and some trials by fire. I have no reason to fear any of that, because I am with my Creator and He is with me and in me. I am to make full use of every opportunity He gives me to share His truth with all who will receive it, so that others too may know their Creator and His love for them, for their salvation and His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You said through me yesterday, both in the service and in the unexpected counseling opportunity in the afternoon. I pray that I would be Your agent at all times, rightly relating to You so that Your purposes may be accomplished in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!