Today’s Reading: Habakkuk 1; Psalm 22

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Why are you so far away when I groan for help? – Psalm 22:1

As we read the book of Habakkuk, we are listening in on a conversation between the prophet and his God. He dares to ask God some pretty tough questions – Why do you allow injustice, God? Do you even care? Why do you tolerate evil? Are you still in control, Lord?

These verses minister to my soul for I have asked some of these same questions. Why is sin celebrated? How did sex become such a dominant addiction in our society? When did gender identity become a topic for grade school curriculum? Why aren’t people held accountable when they blatantly lie about someone else or twist the truth for their own benefit? Where is God in all of this? Who is speaking the truth? What hope is there for future generations?

God saw the honest heart of the prophet and took time to give him answers – answers that show our God is sovereign!

How long, O Lord, must I call for help?
But you do not listen!
“Violence is everywhere!” I cry, but you do not come to save.
Must I forever see these evil deeds?
Why must I watch all this misery?
Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence.
I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight.
The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts.
The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted. – Habakkuk 1:2-4

Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me. – Psalm 22:11

Have you ever prayed a similar prayer? I definitely have, especially in recent days. Watching the daily news can be aggravating and I ask God where He is at in all of it. I foolishly ask Him to see all of the sorrow and injustice around the world, as if He isn’t already looking. I tell Him my heart is breaking, as if His heart isn’t more affected than mine. I ask Him where He is and if He is listening, as if God doesn’t see all and know all and love more than I am capable of.

“Look around at the nations; look and be amazed!
For I AM DOING SOMETHING in your own day,
something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.” – Habakkuk 1:5

God’s answer: Look around! There is evidence of my movement all around! I am never without a plan. Don’t try to fix the world around you with your own strength – trust in my power and wisdom. Look for ME and seek MY plan. Be willing to do what I ask you, instead of depending on yourself. Be a part of my plan instead of forcing your own.

Lord, our hearts are breaking this morning over the evidence of evil all around us. We cannot put our hope in government officials, for they make decisions based on their own agendas and redefine what is moral and what is not. We cannot put our hope in people for the epidemic of sinful choices is too great for man to overcome. You are our only hope. Lord, give us eyes to see the woundedness among us but also give us hearts to see your activity all around us. Help us to trust that you are DOING SOMETHING — that you are watching, that you are moving, that you are responding. Lord, hear our cries and give us a willingness to be a part of your solution. Amen.

Praise the Lord, all who fear him! Honor him…Show him reverence…For he has not ignored the or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help. – Psalm 22:23-24

Today’s Reading: Nahum

God once again sent a message of judgment through his prophets. This time the judgment was against the city of Ninevah, which was part of the country of Assyria. The empire of Assyria had grown strong and left a path of destruction across the land. Israel was one of the many countries that had been defeated and captured by Assyria and now this victor was pressing in on Judah. Nahum’s prophecy against Judah’s enemy came at a good time — a time when they needed to hear that God is powerful, He is paying attention, and He will punish His enemies.

The Lord is a jealous God, filled with vengeance and rage. He takes revenge on all who oppose him and continues to rage against his enemies! The Lord is slow to get angry, BUT his power is great, and he never lets the guilty go unpunished…The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him. BUT he will sweep away his enemies in an overwhelming flood. He will pursue his foes into the darkness of night. – Nahum 1:2-3a,7-8

The people of Ninevah had repented of their sins after Jonah came to them, but they turned to wickedness again. The prophet Nahum declared God’s judgment on the city – the city that was rich and appeared to the world as beautiful, but was full of evil. Those who were oblivious to its wickedness were also naive to what God was capable of doing.

What sorrow awaits Nineveh, the city of murder and lies!
She is crammed with wealth and is never without victims.
Hear the crack of whips, the rumble of wheels!
Horses’ hooves pound, and charioteers charge past!
There are countless casualties, heaps of bodies – so many bodies that people stumble over them.
All this because Nineveh, the beautiful and faithless city, mistress of deadly charms, enticed the nations with her beauty.
She taught them all her magic, enchanting people everywhere.
“I am your enemy!” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“And now I will lift your skirts and show all the earth your nakedness and shame.
I will cover you with filth and show the world how vile you really are.
All who see you will shrink back and say, ‘Nineveh lies in ruins. Where are the mourners?’
Does anyone regret your destruction?” – Nahum 3:1-7

Scriptures like this convince me that God will someday put an end to the many industries leaving a path of destruction behind them, industries like pornography, sex-trafficking and abortion. They glamourize themselves and collect their riches, but God sees that they are surrounded by those they have destroyed. He hears the cries of the men and women who have been deceived and lied to. He sees the wounds of those who have been abused and mistreated.

The abortion industry has convinced society to consider abortion socially acceptable, a good option for women. The government pours money into their pockets. The stench of death surrounds us and the world continues to shout their praises. BUT God… God will sweep over his enemies in an overwhelming flood. He will pursue his foes into the darkness of night (1:8).

The Lord is a jealous God, filled with vengeance and rage.
He takes revenge on all who oppose him and continues to rage against his enemies!
The Lord is slow to get angry, but his power is great, and he never lets the guilty go unpunished. – Nahum 1:1-3a

Lord, we thank you for being a God of power – a God aware of the hurts, pains and injustices of this world. Lord, forgive our nation for allowing and promoting the death of those who cannot defend themselves. Strengthen us to protect those who are mistreated, and equip us to speak your truth to this lost and dying world. Expose evil empires that veil themselves as if to appear beautiful. May those who work in these industries see that you are the only true God and sincerely repent, finding forgiveness in our merciful God. Lord, break our hearts over what breaks yours and calm our troubled hearts. Oh God, we trust in you for you are the God of love and the God of justice. Amen.

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 21, 2 Chronicles 33

Through the life of Hezekiah’s son, Manasseh, we see again that God loves a repentant heart. But to fully understand just how merciful our God is, we need to fully understand just how ugly sin can be; to fully grasp the reach of God’s grace, we must recognize how destructive rebellion against God can become.

Manasseh was 12 years old when he became king; he reigned in Jerusalem for 55 years. He rebuilt the pagan shrines his father had destroyed, and even went so far as to build pagan altars inside of the temple of the Lord. The very place that had been created for God to dwell and be worshiped was now dedicated to the worship of false gods.

Manasseh was SO steeped in idolatry that he sacrificed his own sons in the fire (2 Chronicles 33:6). In an attempt to get what he wanted from life, Manasseh killed his own son because he was somehow convinced that his life would be better if he sacrificed the life of his child. And what does God have to say about the one who orchestrates the death of their children?

“If any of them offer their children as a sacrifice to Molech, they must be put to death. The people of the community must stone them to death. I myself will turn against them and cut them off from the community, because they have defiled my sanctuary and brought shame on my holy name by offering their children to Molech. And if the people of the community ignore those who offer their children to Molech and refuse to execute them, I myself will turn against them and their families and will cut them off from the community. This will happen to all who commit spiritual prostitution by worshiping Molech.” — Leviticus 20:2b-5

God’s strong word of warning in these verses was not just directed towards the parent who sacrifices their child, but towards the community who ignores the sin. If child-sacrifice is allowed and not punished, the result of this spiritual prostitution will be felt by the entire nation. If the leadership looks the other way or celebrates the child sacrifice in the name of the individual’s right to do whatever they want with their children, God’s judgment will be felt by all.

Manasseh also aroused God’s anger by practicing sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, consulting with mediums and psychics. He murdered innocent people until the city of Jerusalem was filled from end to end with the blood of those who had been murdered. He caused the people of Judah to sin, leading them to do what God had clearly defined as evil (2 Kings 21:16).

“King Manasseh of Judah has done many detestable things. He is even more wicked than the Amorites, who lived in this land before Israel. He has caused the people of Judah to sin with his idols. So this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I will bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of those who hear about it will tingle with horror. I will judge Jerusalem by the same standard I used for Samaria and the same measure I used for the family of Ahab. I will wipe away the people of Jerusalem as one wipes a dish and turns it upside down. Then I will reject even the remnant of my own people who are left, and I will hand them over as plunder for their enemies. For they have done great evil in my sight and have angered me ever since their ancestors came out of Egypt.” — 2 Kings 21:11-15

The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they ignored all his warnings. So the Lord sent the commanders of the Assyrian armies, and they took Manasseh prisoner. They put a ring through his nose, bound him in bronze chains, and led him away to Babylon. But while in deep distress, Manasseh sought the Lord his God and SINCERELY humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. – 2 Chronicles 33:10-12

Manasseh, one of the most evil kings Judah experienced, cried out to God for forgiveness and God listened. That’s the kind of God we serve — a God who is holy and punishes sin, but who is also merciful and forgiving for those who SINCERELY repent. The prophet Nahum, who we will study tomorrow, helps us understand that our God is both loving and just. God is patient and forgiving but also a holy God who punishes sin. He is calling out to us but we must turn to him; He wants to lavish us with His love and grace, but we must be sincere in our confession of sin and fully commit ourselves to Him.

“I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help.
I was ready to be found, but no one was looking for me.
I said, ‘Here I am, here I am!’
to a nation that did not call on my name.
All day long I opened my arms to a rebellious people.
But they follow their own evil paths
and their own crooked schemes.
All day long they insult me to my face
by worshiping idols in their sacred gardens.
They burn incense on pagan altars.
At night they go out among the graves,
worshiping the dead.
They eat the flesh of pigs
and make stews with other forbidden foods.
Yet they say to each other,
‘Don’t come too close or you will defile me!
I am holier than you!’
These people are a stench in my nostrils,
an acrid smell that never goes away.” — Isaiah 65:1-5

Oh God, may our lives be a pleasant fragrance to you. Give us the courage to speak truth without casting judgment; give us the wisdom to speak of your grace while also drawing others to a place of sincere repentance. Forgive us for turning our back to the sacrifice of your children, and give us the opportunity to influence the turning of this nation back to you. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 62-66

When God puts someone in leadership, it is for the good of those being led. To be a leader is to be a “watchman” – to watch for danger and protect others from potential harm. Today we call this risk management. But sometimes leaders get caught up in their own egos and make choices based on what is best for them, instead of what is best for the people or for the organization they are leading.

For the leaders of my people – the Lord’s watchmen, his shepherds – are blind and ignorant.
They are like silent watchdogs that give no warning when danger comes.
They love to lie around, sleeping and dreaming.
Like greedy dogs, they are never satisfied.
They are ignorant shepherds, all following their own path and intent on personal gain.
“Come,” they say, “let’s get some wine and have a party. Let’s all get drunk.
Then tomorrow we’ll do it again and have an even bigger party!” – Isaiah 56:10-12

We serve a God who loves a repentant heart, who shows favor to those who humbly ask for forgiveness and submit to God’s leadership instead of making life a party for their own self-gain. He comes to restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts (Isaiah 57:15). He does not want a false show of repentance. He rejects those who go through the motions – who say the right words and fast for the sake of impressing God (Isaiah 58). God sees the heart and will not be manipulated. He sent His Son to come as a Redeemer for the truly repentant (Isaiah 59).

I will tell of the Lord’s unfailing love.
I will praise the Lord for all he has done.
I will rejoice in his great goodness to Israel,
which he has granted according to his mercy and love.
He said, “They are my very own people. Surely they will not betray me again.”
And HE BECAME THEIR SAVIOR.
In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them.
He lifted them up and carried them through all the years. – Isaiah 63:7-9

When you came down long ago, you did awesome deeds beyond our highest expectations.
And oh, how the mountains quaked!
For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen
a God like you, who works for those who wait for him! – Isaiah 64:3-4

The Lord says, “I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help.
I was ready to be found, but no one was looking for me.
I said, ‘Here I am, here I am!’ to a nation that did not call on my name.
All day long I opened my arms to a rebellious people.
But they follow their own evil paths and their own crooked schemes…” – Isaiah 65:1-2

“I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.
But those who choose their own ways – delighting in their detestable sins –
will not have their offerings accepted…
For when I called, they did not answer.
When I spoke, they did not listen.
They deliberately sinned before my very eyes and chose to do what they know I despise…” – Isaiah 66:2b-4b

Lord, we humbly come to you this morning, our Savior and our God. We bow before you with sincere and repentant hearts. Lord, we pray that you would do a work in their hearts today. We are the clay and we long for you to mold us into vessels according to your perfect will. Reveal in us any sinful intentions or prideful attitudes. We long to hear your voice and answer you obediently today. We sit in your presence and listen closely. Lord, we will speak today of your unfailing love; we will praise you for all you have done! We will rejoice in your goodness, your mercy and your love, for you called us your people when YOU BECAME OUR SAVIOR.

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 56-61

“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink – even if you have no money!
Come, take your choice of wine or milk – it’s all free!
Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?
Why pay for food that does you no good?
Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food.

“Come to me with your ears wide open.
Listen, and you will find life.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you.
I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David…

“Seek the Lord while you can find him.
Call on him now while he is near…

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:1-3,6,8-9

It is in seeking God that I find Him. It is in calling on Him that I hear from Him. It is in following His ways that I get a front row seat to what HE wants to do – His will, His way, in His time. When I spend time studying His word, I often receive a word from Him – a promise from long ago that He is renewing in my own life.

Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. – Isaiah 58:10-11

What is God calling you to do today? For what purpose is He anointing you? What difference is God calling you to make in the life of another person this week? Will you allow the One who offers living water to fill you so that you can be a conduit of grace to those who are thirsty? WIll you allow rivers of living water to flow from you as God uses you in the lives of others?

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim
that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.
He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,
and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.
To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory. – Isaiah 61:1-3

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 54-55

Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will.
The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me and I have listened…
Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced.
Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. – Isaiah 50:4b-5a,7

Some days the weight of my job rests heavy on my shoulders. I find myself praying for God to equip me for the difficult decisions ahead. I ask Him to fill me with His Spirit and give me wisdom for the work to which He has called me. Morning by morning, I wake up and spend time in God’s presence asking Him to teach me and guide me. I cling to God’s promises found in Scripture, including this one:

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” – Psalm 32:8

This morning I walked into God’s presence with a desire to understand His plan and to be instructed by Him in the way I should go. The following verses are a help to me and I pray that God uses them in your specific situation today.

“I am the Lord your God, who TEACHES you what is good for you and LEADS you along the paths you should follow.” – Isaiah 48:17b

“At just the right time, I will RESPOND to you…” – Isaiah 49:8a

Yet Jerusalem says, “The Lord has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us.”
“NEVER! Can a mother forget her nursing child?
Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?
But even if that was possible, I would not forget you!
See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.” – Isaiah 49:14-16a

If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God.
But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. – Isaiah 50:10b-11

What a great reminder to me when I am tempted to solve my own problems, make my own decisions, or look for advice from other people instead of praying for wisdom from God. To do that would be to rely on myself – to live in my own light and warm myself by my own fire.

Oh Lord, I long to come to your fire, to be warmed by your presence and to walk in your light! Yesterday you reminded me that you have had a plan for me since before I was born. Today you remind me that you will teach me and give me wisdom for the task you have before me. Thank you, Father, for your generosity. I don’t have to warm myself by my own fire or accomplish anything by my own strength today. Why drink water when I can drink the more expensive wisdom that comes freely from you?! Today I choose to listen to you and trust that your ways are much better than mine. I trust you to teach me, instruct me, counsel me and watch over me. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 50–53

God used Isaiah to help His people understand how they were about to go into a time of captivity and exile as a consequence of years of unfaithfulness. It was not all bad news, though. Isaiah also spoke boldly that God had a plan — a plan of REDEMPTION and RESTORATION.

Part of God’s plan of restoration revealed through the prophet Isaiah was in regards to the Messiah. Isaiah foretold how the Messiah would grow, be rejected and beaten, killed and placed in a rich man’s tomb. This righteous servant would die, bearing all our sins and making it possible for the many to be counted righteous. Consider this morning the sacrifice of our Savior.

My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.
He was despised and rejected — a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care. – Isaiah 53:2-3

He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood. – Luke 22:41-44

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed. – Isaiah 53:4-5

“Crucify him!”
“Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”
But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

So to pacify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified…They dressed him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. Then they saluted him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship…Then they led him away to be crucified. – Mark 15:13-15, 17-20

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. – Isaiah 53:6

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” – Matthew 27:45-46

He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.
Unjustly condemned, he was led away. – Isaiah 53:7-8a

But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against him, Jesus remained silent. “Don’t you hear all these charges they are bringing against you?” Pilate demanded. But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor’s surprise. – Matthew 27:12-14

No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream.
But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people.
He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave… – Isaiah 53:8b-9

Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph…He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. – Luke 23:50-53

And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.
I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels. – Isaiah 53:11b-12

Lord, thank you for dying so that we could be restored from our sinful condition. Thank you for reminding us again this morning of your generous gift of redemption — that you made it possible for us to be counted righteous by bearing our sins on the cross. For that gift we are forever thankful! We have so much to thank you for – protection, provision, your generous love outpoured. Thank you for pointing my thankful heart back to the biggest reason I have to give you praise!

Praise the Lord! I will thank the Lord with all my heart…
He has paid a full ransom for his people.
He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever.
What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!…
Praise him forever! – Psalm 111:1,9-10

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 45-49

“And why have I called you for this work?
Why did I call you by name when you did not know me…” – Isaiah 45:4

150 years before it took place, Isaiah prophesied that God would use a foreign leader named Cyrus to accomplish His plan of setting Israel free from Babylon. Before Cyrus even knew who the God of Israel was, God was involving Cyrus in his plan of redemption.

BEFORE YOU KNEW ME

“I will raise up Cyrus to fulfill my righteous purpose, and I will guide his actions. He will restore my city and free my captive people – without seeking a reward! I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!” – Isaiah 45:13

God had a plan for Cyrus before he was even born. He prepared the way for this man before he had even submitted to God’s sovereignty in his life. In the same way, God had a plan for each of us before we were born. And now He is going before us and equipping us for the battle to which He has called us. He does this for two purposes – SALVATION & RIGHTEOUSNESS.

It is God’s plan that each of us would come to a saving knowledge of who He is and how He has planned for us before we were even a thought in the mind of our parents. It is God’s plan for righteousness to “sprout up together” with salvation to accomplish His purposes through our lives (Is. 45:2-8).

BEFORE YOU WERE BORN

“I have cared for you since before you were born.
Yes, I carried you before you were born.
I will be your God throughout your lifetime – until your hair is white with age.
I made you, and I will care for you.
I will carry you along and save you.” – Isaiah 46:3b-4

O Lord, you alone are my hope.
I’ve trusted you, O Lord, from childhood.
Yes, you have been with me from birth;
from my mother’s womb you have cared for me.
No wonder I am always praising you! – Psalm 71:5-6

How beautiful! God cares for us and carries us from the time before we were born, throughout our lifetime, until the end of our life. He carries us along with the plan to save us and to accomplish His purposes through us – so that salvation and righteousness can sprout up together.

The Lord called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name.
He made my words of judgment as sharp as a sword.
He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand.
I am like a sharp arrow in his quiver.
He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, and you will bring me glory.”
I replied, “But my work seems so useless!
I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose.
Yet I leave it all in the Lord’s hand; I will trust God for my reward.”
And now the Lord speaks – the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him.
The Lord has honored me, and my God has given me strength.
He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me.
I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring salvation to the ends of the earth.” – Isaiah 49:1b-6

God saves us for the sake of righteousness, and then He uses His righteousness displayed in our lives to save others for the sake of righteousness, so that still others can be restored to a place of salvation for the sake of righteousness. So, as we struggle to find purpose in our current situation, we can believe with confidence that God uses EVERYTHING for His purposes – for the purpose of salvation and righteousness.

Oh Lord. Help me to see you at work in the lives of those around me – those who have come to a saving knowledge of you and those who still do not know you. We pray that today many will choose to believe in you, and that many will declare for the first time that you are Lord. We pray that those who are resisting you will be drawn back into a relationship with Christ. We pray that thousands will take the opportunity to live out the righteousness of God in the lives of others. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 41-44, Psalm 80

Turn us again to yourself, O God.
Make your face shine down upon us.
Only then will we be saved.
O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,
how long will you be angry with our prayers?
You have fed us with sorrow
and made us drink tears by the bucketful. — Psalm 80:3-5

Have you ever had a week or season of your life that was particularly difficult? Does it ever seem like each day there is one more unexpected surprise or new loss. Even when things are difficult and life is challenging, I am so grateful that I can pray to the God who loves me enough to stay by my side through every challenge. He is faithful to carry me through every situation that He has called me to endure.

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:29-31

We serve such an incredible God!!! The Creator of everything LOVES US enough to care for us. He sees everything we are going through, knows us better than anyone else, and cares enough to give us what we need. He gives strength when we are weak. To trust God is like climbing on the wings of an eagle and soaring above life’s circumstances. His supply of strength is endless and His understanding is limitless.

So what does God have planned for today? No matter what His plan, we can be confident of this — He will equip us for what is ahead. There is no need to argue or negotiate.

How foolish can you be? He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! Should the created thing say of the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”? Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid”? – Isaiah 29:16

“And why have I called you for this work?
Why did I call you by name when you did not know me…” – Isaiah 45:4

There have been many times when I have wondered why God chose me for the purpose to which He has called me. I assume we have all had moments like this – moments when we wonder what our purpose is or we question why God chose us for THIS specific purpose. At times, we look to the person on our left and the person on our right, and we ask God why His plan for them is so different from His plan for us.

“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’” – Isaiah 45:9

God, only you know your plan for my day and I submit to your plan. Thank you for caring for me; thank you for carrying me. Use me for your purposes today, Oh Lord. Give me eyes to see what you see and a heart that trusts you with the details. Lord, may I find new strength for today. Fill my life with good things and make your face shine upon me. Amen.

And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand. – Isaiah 64:8

Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! – Psalm 103:1-5

Today’s Reading: Micah, Psalm 43

Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God! – Psalm 43:5

Attention! Let all the people of the world listen!
Let the earth and everything in it hear.
The Sovereign Lord is making accusations against you;
the Lord speaks from his holy Temple.
Look! The Lord is coming!
He leaves his throne in heaven
and tramples the heights of the earth.
The mountains melt beneath his feet
and flow into the valleys
like wax in a fire,
like water pouring down a hill. – Micah 1:2-4

The prophet Micah gives us beautiful descriptions of God — words that help us see the heart of God while also recognizing the power of God. God’s love for us runs deep, and it is out of this love that He calls us to live in righteousness. He is our Shepherd who guides us for the sake of protecting us and providing for our needs. He leads us in the way we should go. Do not resist the heart of God.

Therefore, I will mourn and lament.
I will walk around barefoot and naked.
I will howl like a jackal
and moan like an owl.
For my people’s wound
is too deep to heal.
It has reached into Judah,
even to the gates of Jerusalem. – Micah 1:8-9

“Someday, O Israel, I will gather the remnant who are left.
I will bring you together again like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture.
Yes, your land will again be filled with noisy crowds!
Your leader will break out and lead you out of exile,
out through the gates of the enemy cities, back to your own land.
Your king will lead you; the Lord himself will guide you.” – Micah 2:12-13

Micah’s message included words of hope — This time of exile will not last forever, and Jerusalem will one day be strong again. And the Lord Himself will be king forever!

“In that coming day,” says the Lord,
“I will gather together those who are lame,
those who have been exiles,
and those whom I have filled with grief.
Those who are weak will survive as a remnant;
those who were exiles will become a strong nation.
Then I, the Lord, will rule from Jerusalem
as their king forever.” – Micah 4:6-7

Then the remnant left in Israel
will take their place among the nations.
They will be like dew sent by the Lord
or like rain falling on the grass,
which no one can hold back
and no one can restrain.
The remnant left in Israel
will take their place among the nations.
They will be like a lion among the animals of the forest,
like a strong young lion among flocks of sheep and goats,
pouncing and tearing as they go
with no rescuer in sight.
The people of Israel will stand up to their foes,
and all their enemies will be wiped out. – Micah 5:7-9

Where is another God like you,
who pardons the guilt of the remnant,
overlooking the sins of his special people?
You will not stay angry with your people forever,
because you delight in showing unfailing love.
Once again you will have compassion on us.
You will trample our sins under your feet
and throw them into the depths of the ocean!
You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love
as you promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago. – Micah 7:18-20