Today’s Reading: Hosea 11-14

The love story of Hosea and Gomer is A STORY OF MERCY. Hosea’s love for Gomer was sacrificial, life-affirming, passionate and redemptive. What a great example of Christ’s love for us! While we were still sinners, Christ died for us! His love for us is sacrificial — He gave His life on the cross! Three days later, He conquered death and rose to life in order that we might experience eternal life. His passionate love for us is displayed in the greatest act of history! His heart of mercy held a PLAN OF REDEMPTION. Jesus Christ is alive and loves us with a redeeming love that restores us.

WHERE ARE YOU ON HIS MERCIFUL PATH OF REDEMPTION?

God desires to have an intimate relationship with us.

I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me, more than I want burnt offerings. – Hosea 6:6

God generously blesses our lives, yet we tend to turn away from all He has for us.

But the richer the people get, the more pagan altars they build.
The more bountiful their harvests, the more beautiful their sacred pillars.
The hearts of the people are fickle; they are guilty and must be punished. – Hosea 10:1-2

“I have been the Lord your God ever since I brought you out of Egypt.
You must acknowledge no God but me, for THERE IN NO OTHER SAVIOR.
I took care of you in the wilderness, in that dry and thirsty land.
But when you had eaten and were satisfied, you became proud and forgot me.” – Hosea 13:4-6

God calls us to a life of righteousness.

I said, “Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love.
Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.” – Hosea 10:12

Out of His great mercy, God punishes us with consequences to our unfaithfulness.

God’s discipline is for the purpose of restoring us to a right relationship with Him — the relationship He sent His Son to reconcile. He punishes us as a form of redirection, because He loves us and wants us to experience His perfect plan for our lives. He knows that when we sin we live in slavery to our sinful nature, but He wants us to experience true freedom in Christ.

“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds. In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence. Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.” – Hosea 6:1-3

God’s judgment is always followed by the hope of restoration.

The Lord says, “Then I will heal you of your faithlessness;
my love will know no bounds, for my anger will be gone forever…
My people will again live under my shade…O Israel, stay away from idols!
I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you.
I am like a tree that is always green; all your fruit comes from me.”
The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. – Hosea 14:4-9b

IT’S WORTH ASKING AGAIN — WHERE ARE YOU ON THIS PATH OR JOURNEY?

Are you enjoying an intimate relationship with God, resting in His plan and His purpose? Are you turning away from all of His blessings in our lives and continuing to search for something the world has to offer? Is God even now transforming your Valley of Trouble into a Gateway of Hope? Are you living once again under His shade, where the tree is always green and He is bearing fruit in your life?

Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him. – Hosea 6:3a

Today’s Reading: Hosea 7-10

The love story of Hosea and Gomer is A STORY OF JEALOUSY — not a sinful jealousy that selfishly wants another person all to themselves, but a passionate love that wants the full devotion of another person for the sake of the one they love. Chasing after the things of this world only leads to sadness and regret, but true love wants their partner to experience the full life of blessings that God has planned for them. Hosea pursued Gomer’s love because he knew how beautiful life could be for both of them if they were faithful to the covenant relationship of marriage.

Their arrogance testifies against them, yet they don’t return to the Lord their God or even try to find him. – Hosea 7:10

As we read through the book of Hosea, we find that God was frustrated with the Israelites. He had done so much for His people, yet generation after generation turned their hearts from Him. God wanted to redeem them, but they rebelled against Him (7:13). God had made them a strong nation, providing for their every need, yet they turned to other nations instead of depending on Him to rescue them from their enemies. God was jealous of the love they were giving to everything except Him. He wanted their full attention; God wanted them to fully know Him and the beautiful life He had to offer them. But they rejected the covenant relationship God had offered to them.

“I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me, more than I want burnt offerings.” – Hosea 6:6

“Israel has built many altars to take away sin,
but these very altars became places for sinning!
Even though I gave them all my laws,
they act as if those laws don’t apply to them.
The people love to offer sacrifices to me,
feasting on the meat,
but I do not accept their sacrifices.
I will hold my people accountable for their sins,
and I will punish them.
They will return to Egypt.
Israel has forgotten its Maker and built great palaces,
and Judah has fortified its cities.
Therefore, I will send down fire on their cities
and will burn up their fortresses.” – Hosea 8:11-14

My God will reject the people of Israel
because they will not listen or obey.
They will be wanderers,
homeless among the nations. – Hosea 9:17

“I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness,
and you will harvest a crop of love.
Plow up the hard ground of your hearts,
for now is the time to seek the Lord,
that he may come
and shower righteousness upon you.’
But you have cultivated wickedness
and harvested a thriving crop of sins.
You have eaten the fruit of lies—
trusting in your military might,
believing that great armies
could make your nation safe.” – Hosea 10:12-13

Maverick City Music recently released a song that talks about the jealousy of our God, helping us understand God’s love for us. It speaks of how it breaks God’s heart when He sees us dancing with the enemy; it breaks His heart when His bride is living in adultery. God created us to live in relationship with Him — for Him to be the only one we love. He is jealous for us because He loves us. He wants to have an intimate relationship with us, with nothing drawing us away from Him. [Jealous was written by Chandler Moore, Charles Butler & Kirk Franklin, and is from Maverick City Music’s collaboration album with Kirk Franklin entitled “Kingdom Book One”.]

As I read through the book of Hosea, I see myself in the tendencies of the Israelites. God, I ask you to forgive me for allowing my priorities to get wrapped up in my own desires. Thank you for pursuing my heart with a patient love. I am grateful for your grace, but I recognize my need this morning to be faithful to my relationship with you. I don’t want to be so comfortable with your willingness to forgive me that I abuse the grace you so generously offer. It is my desire to plant seeds of righteousness today, so that I can harvest a crop of love. Thank you for meeting with me this morning. I love you. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Hosea 4-6

Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel!
The Lord has brought charges against you, saying:
“There is no faithfulness, no kindness,
no knowledge of God in your land.
You make vows and break them;
you kill and steal and commit adultery.
There is violence everywhere—
one murder after another.
That is why your land is in mourning,
and everyone is wasting away.
Even the wild animals, the birds of the sky,
and the fish of the sea are disappearing. – Hosea 4:1-3

THE LOVE STORY OF HOSEA AND GOMER IS A STORY OF GRACE.

Hosea loved Gomer, but she was unfaithful time and time again. Though Gomer did not deserve it, Hosea would go in pursuit of her each time she strayed away from him and into the arms of another man. He would pay a price to win her back and bring her home. Hosea’s love for his wife despite her infidelity parallels God’s love for His people, even when we flirt with temptation or give ourselves to someone or something other than Him.

You have left me as a prostitute leaves her husband;
you are utterly defiled.
Your deeds won’t let you return to your God.
You are a prostitute through and through,
and you do not know the Lord. – Hosea 5:3b-4

God created us to live in relationship with Him. Our relationship with God is like a marriage that requires fidelity and faithfulness. Not only does God want to be worshiped, He wants to be loved. God does not just want our empty words, He wants our sincere obedience. The Lord wants to be known by us so that He can show us how completely He knows us. For Him to offer us this kind of bond, even after we have sinned against Him, is evidence that we serve a God of grace — a God who shows us unmerited favor.

O Israel and Judah,
what should I do with you?” asks the Lord.
“For your love vanishes like the morning mist
and disappears like dew in the sunlight.
I sent my prophets to cut you to pieces—
to slaughter you with my words,
with judgments as inescapable as light.
I want you to show love,
not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me
more than I want burnt offerings.
But like Adam, you broke my covenant
and betrayed my trust. – Hosea 6:4-7

WE ARE RECIPIENTS OF GOD’S UNMERITED FAVOR.

Consider the heart of God that He would desire to show us love rather than condemnation; ponder the love of a God who wants to be known by us, even though this intimacy is completely undeserved by us. Since Adam, God’s creation has been breaking their covenant agreement with the Creator. Generation after generation has denied His Sovereignty and rejected His plan of salvation. And yet He paid the price for our sins.

But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. – Romans 5:15-16

God, we thank you for your grace. Our hearts are grateful this morning for your unmerited favor. We recognize that you have been in pursuit of our hearts before we even recognized your great love for us. May today’s time in your word remind us that we serve a God of kindness and grace, who not only patiently offers us salvation but who desires our full adoption into His family. May we remain faithful to you for the rest of our lives as we grow in our knowledge of who you are and all you have done for us. Amen.

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. – Ephesians 1:5-7

Today’s Reading: Hosea 1-3

God gave Adam & Eve an incredible opportunity to live in intimacy with their Creator. He provided generously for them, yet they chose to disobey. Even though He had greatly blessed them, they disregarded God’s plan, ignored God’s purpose in their creation and satisfied their own desires instead of faithfully following God. This began the pattern of sin, generation after generation, until God’s beautiful creation was deeply in need of a Savior — a sacrificial lamb.

God gave the nation of Israel this same opportunity to live in relationship with Him. He rescued them from slavery and gave them Canaan — a land flowing with milk and honey. He showered them with spiritual and material blessings, asking them to stay on His path of righteousness and worship Him only. But they disregarded God’s plan, ignored God’s purpose and satisfied their own desires instead of chasing after everything God desired for them. They messed up God’s perfect plan.

When the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshiping other gods.” – Hosea 1:2b

At times God calls us to a higher level of obedience. Occasionally he asks us to do something out of the ordinary because He has something extraordinary to do through us. God told Hosea to marry the prostitute, and Hosea responded in obedience.

The prophet Hosea’s life became an example of the unfaithfulness of Israel to their God. Hosea married a prostitute who continued to be unfaithful to him despite his generous love to her. Hosea’s anguish over his wife’s sins represents the heart of our God who grieves when we choose to love ourselves or something else more than we love Him. There were consequences to Gomer’s unfaithfulness, which came from a heart full of mercy, just as God’s punishment and the natural consequences of our sins come out of a heart of MERCY FOR THE PURPOSE OF REDEMPTION.

She doesn’t realize it was I who gave her everything she has – the grain, the new wine, the olive oil; I even gave her silver and gold. But she gave all my gifts to Baal.
But now I take back…
I will strip her…
I will put an end to…
I will destroy…
I will punish…
But then I will win her back once again.
I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there.
I will return her vineyards to her and transform the VALLEY OF TROUBLE into a GATEWAY OF HOPE.
She will give herself to me there, as she did long ago when she was young,
when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt.
When that day comes,” says the Lord, “you will call me ‘my husband’ instead of ‘my master.’…
I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion.
I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord. – Hosea 2:8-20

God offers each one of us the incredible opportunity to live in an intimate relationship with our Creator – the one who knows everything about us and loves us more than we can imagine. He enters into a covenant relationship with us, requiring us to walk down a path of righteousness — following God’s plan, clinging to God’s purposes, and living fully for Him. When we break that covenant by putting something else or someone else ahead of Him, He allows us to go through a time of judgment or punishment or consequences for our actions out of His great love and mercy for us. This serves as His way of drawing us back to Him in order that He might restore us and reestablish His covenant with us.

GOD’S HOPE ALWAYS FOLLOWS HIS JUDGMENT!

Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.” – Hosea 3:1

Father God, show us the ways in which we are being unfaithful to you. Take our fickle hearts and redeem us for your purposes. May we never take our covenant relationship with you for granted, and may we experience a sense of hope as we look forward to your response. Lord, we are pressing in to know you more. Amen.

“Come, let us return to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us.
He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds.
In just a short time he will restore us,
so that we may live in his presence.
Oh, that we might know the Lord!
Let us press on to know him.
He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn
Or the coming of rains in early spring.” – Hosea 6:1-3

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 31–35, Psalm 102

But Lord, be merciful to us,
for we have waited for you.
Be our strong arm each day
and our salvation in times of trouble.
The enemy runs at the sound of your voice.
When you stand up, the nations flee! – Isaiah 33:2-3

At times God’s plan for me may include adversity to teach me or guide me. Sometimes the adversity is the result of my own mistakes, but thankfully He doesn’t leave me to experience my consequences alone. He doesn’t abandon me in my TIME IN BETWEEN. He stays with me and is my teacher. I hear His voice, “This is the way you should go.”

DURING HARD TIMES, I CAN REST IN HIM.

Then the Lord will bless you with rain at planting time. There will be wonderful harvests and plenty of pastureland for your livestock. The oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat good grain, its chaff blown away by the wind. In that day, when your enemies are slaughtered and the towers fall, there will be streams of water flowing down every mountain and hill. The moon will be as bright as the sun, and the sun will be seven times brighter – like the light of seven days in one! So it will be when the Lord begins to heal his people and cure the wounds HE gave them. – Isaiah 30:23-26

And so, in the time in between, I can wait. I can trust and rest in the knowledge that God is good and that God is present and that God is coming!

DURING THE TIME IN BETWEEN, I CAN WAIT ON HIM.

Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord!
Make it a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!
Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills.
Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places.
Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.
The Lord has spoken!”

A voice said, “Shout!” I asked, “What should I shout?”

“Shout that people are like the grass. Their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the Lord. And so it is with people.
The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” – Isaiah 40:3-8

DURING THE WAITING, I CAN SAY WHAT HE TELLS ME TO SAY.

I can wait on God knowing that He is coming! He is my deliverer and my Lord, in whom I trust and for whom I wait. Anything else I could reach out to or cling to will fade away because nothing else is eternal. The word of my God stands forever and He is coming! So when He says to speak, I will speak; when He says to be still, I will watch and wait.

Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm.
See, he brings his reward with him as he comes. He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart.
He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young. – Isaiah 40:10-11

The Lord is coming. And so, like Mary, we watch and we wait. We watch, knowing God is aware and has a plan. We wait, knowing God’s timing is always perfect.

DURING THE WAITING, I CAN TRUST IN GOD’S PERFECT TIMING.

Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left. Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching. – Matthew 27:59-61

O my God, who lives forever, we call on you this morning. We recognize that you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. Knowing this, we put our trust in you for everything going on in our lives. You remain forever; you have always been and will always be [Psalm 102]. On you we wait, trusting you to move in your perfect time and in your perfect way.

Look, a righteous king is coming!
And honest princes will rule under him.
Each one will be like a shelter from the wind
and a refuge from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert
and the shadow of a great rock in a parched land.
Then everyone who has eyes will be able to see the truth,
and everyone who has ears will be able to hear it. – Isaiah 32:1-3

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 29–30, Psalm 71

Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens.
You have done such wonderful things.
Who can compare with you, O God?
You have allowed me to suffer much hardship,
but you will restore me to life again
and lift me up from the depths of the earth.
You will restore me to even greater honor
and comfort me once again. – Psalm 71:19-21

Even in the midst of difficult circumstances, it is good to trust in what God is about to do. Consider what it must have been like for the follower of Jesus the day after His crucifixion. He had told them He would be back, that He would rise from the dead, but they did not understand. Their emotions were mixed with sorrow and fear. Some, like Peter, must have felt strong regret over their lack of faith in the difficulties of the day before. This day between the crucifixion and the resurrection, the period of waiting to see what God will do next, waiting for God’s help. Have you been in this place before – in this time in between your request and God’s response?

ARE YOU, EVEN NOW, WAITING TO SEE WHAT GOD WILL DO NEXT?

In Isaiah, we see the Israelites in a similar holding pattern. They knew God was upset with them for their consistent flopping between faithfulness and fickleness. They knew they were about to experience the consequences of their generational unfaithfulness. They could look back and see the many ways in which God had rescued them and they could look forward to the coming destruction the prophets were describing. In the meantime, in the TIME IN BETWEEN, they waited for God’s help.

In their impatience, God’s people looked again to their enemies for rescue instead of looking to their God. But these enemies were receiving their own message from the prophets foretelling the wrath of God they were about to experience. Because they chose to battle God’s people, destruction and punishment would be in their future. Yet Israel foolishly looked to Egypt for rescue, begging them for a supply of horses for their army (2 Kings 18:24). But God desired for them to call upon His name and look to Him for help in the midst of trouble.

RETURN TO THE LORD, LOOK TO HIM FOR HELP, AND REST IN HIM.

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
“Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved.
In quietness and confidence is your strength.
But you would have none of it.
You said, ‘No, we will get our help from Egypt.
They will give us swift horses riding into battle.’…

So the Lord must wait for you to COME TO HIM so he can show you his love and compassion.
For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help. – Isaiah 30:15-16a, 18

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO WAIT FOR HIS HELP!

How often do I get so impatient waiting on God that I try to make things happen through another source or by my own strength? I need to stop reaching out to “Egypt” and come to God with a willingness to wait for his help…in his time…his way.

He will be gracious if you ASK for help.
He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.
Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink,
He will still be with you to teach you.
You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear him.
Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.
Then you will destroy all your silver idols and your precious gold images.
You will throw them out like filthy rags, saying to them “Good riddance!” – Isaiah 30:19-22

It is time to throw out my plans and my idols — all of the things in my life that I have made more important than waiting on God. It’s time to throw them out and say, “Good riddance! I choose God!”

Lord, I come to you for protection; save me and rescue me. Turn your ear to listen to me and set me free. Be my rock of safety where I can always hide, for you are my rock and my fortress. You alone are my hope and I trust in you. From my mother’s womb you have cared for me so I choose to praise you always — in every circumstance. My enemies jump in to take advantage of my weak moments, but I will keep on hoping for your help; I will praise you more and more. I choose to constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do for me.

WHO CAN COMPARE TO YOU, O GOD?

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!
My life is an example to many,
because you have been my strength and protection.
That is why I can never stop praising you;
I declare your glory all day long. – Psalm 71:5-8

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 23-28; Psalm 87

Yes, after seventy years the Lord will revive Tyre. But she will be no different than she was before. She will again be a prostitute to all kingdoms around the world. – Isaiah 23:17

But my heart is heavy with grief.
Weep for me, for I wither away.
Deceit still prevails,
and treachery is everywhere.
Terror and traps and snares will be your lot,
you people of the earth.
Those who flee in terror will fall into a trap,
and those who escape the trap will be caught in a snare. – Isaiah 24:16b-18

God was punishing His people in a way that was much different than He had in the generations before them. In the past, he had allowed them to lose a battle or lose territory or lose lives, but this was different. God was allowing several nations to win victories over the people of Judah and they were being carried away to distant lands. The freedom He had blessed them with was gone, and they were now living in exile in foreign nations.

On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord.
He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel.
O city of God, what glorious things are said of you! – Psalm 87:1-3

The city of Jerusalem that had once been Israel’s crowning glory was being destroyed, and what had once been a beautiful home for God’s people was now a quiet reminder of all that had been lost. This time of exile would last for seventy years, but God knew that those He allowed to come back would once again fall into sin. They would boast about their survival rather than be thankful for God’s rescue. He knew they needed more than just punishment; they needed a Savior.

God has told his people,
“Here is a place of rest;
let the weary rest here.
This is a place of quiet rest.”
But they would not listen.
So the Lord will spell out his message for them again,
one line at a time,
one line at a time,
a little here,
and a little there,
so that they will stumble and fall.
They will be injured, trapped, and captured.

Therefore, listen to this message from the Lord,
you scoffing rulers in Jerusalem.
You boast, “We have struck a bargain to cheat death
and have made a deal to dodge the grave.
The coming destruction can never touch us,
for we have built a strong refuge made of lies and deception.”

Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem,
a firm and tested stone.
It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on.
Whoever believes need never be shaken.” – Isaiah 28:12a-16

The heart of God can be found in these verses — the heart of a God who loves us and desires for us to live in relationship with Him. He has provided this place of rest for us, where we can spend time in His presence and allow Him to lead us. He is in pursuit of our devotion. We can see evidence of His attempts to draw us to Himself — a little here and a little there, one line at a time.

Father God, we look back and see your hand at work in our lives. We see the people you have placed in our path to speak truth into our lives and to teach us the right way to live. We have been blessed to have had opportunities to get to know who you are; we have experienced your great love for us.

Lord, thank you for this Cornerstone. Thank you for providing salvation for us through the death and resurrection of your Son. We choose again today to believe in Jesus so that we will not be shaken by all the lies and deception of this world. We fall on our knees for the sins of our own nation, and we pray for revival to break out across our land. Amen.

In that day the people will proclaim,
“This is our God!
We trusted in him, and he saved us!
This is the Lord, in whom we trusted.
Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!” – Isaiah 25:9

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 17–22

Why? Because you have turned from the God who can save you.
You have forgotten the Rock who can hide you. – Isaiah 17:10a

One of the biggest problems with the nation of Israel was their tendency to rely on anything and everyone except the God who had shown them His provision time and time again. God had been faithful but His people insisted on keeping their eyes on earthly sources of protection and provision.

Then the Philistines will be thrown into panic, for they counted on the power of Ethiopia and boasted of their allies in Egypt! They will say, “If this can happen to Egypt, what chance do we have? We were counting on Egypt to protect us from the king of Assyria.” – Isaiah 20:5-6

What happens when people disappoint us? What happens when our earthly sources are depleted? God has given us the freedom to choose and we often find ourselves turning to other people for comfort or wisdom. God has shown His great love for us, but we rely on earthly governments to protect us and human relationships to fill our needs. Then we throw our arms in the air in frustration when sinners sin and humans are human, even though God has told us time and time again to keep our eyes fixed on Him. His perfect plan for our life has always been to trust only in Him.

KEEP YOUR EYES FIXED ON THE LORD. PUT YOUR TRUST IN HIM.

You run to the armory for your weapons.
You inspect the breaks in the walls of Jerusalem.
You store up water in the lower pool.
You survey houses and tear some down for stone to strengthen the walls.
Between the city walls, you build a reservoir for water from the old pool.
But you never ask for help from the One who did all this.
You never considered the One who planned this long ago. – Isaiah 22:8b-11

My heart longs to experience everything God is preparing for those who put their trust in Him — His perfect plan for my life! Thank you, Father, for the reminder this morning that you and you alone can meet my every need. I thank you for the perfect peace you give when we fix our thoughts on you.

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock. – Isaiah 26:3-4

When the people cry to the Lord for help against those who oppress them, he will send them a savior who will rescue them. – Isaiah 19:20b

THE LORD IS OUR TOWER OF REFUGE, OUR ETERNAL ROCK OF SALVATION.

O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God.
You do such wonderful things!
You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them…
You are a tower of refuge to the poor, O Lord, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress.
You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat…
You silence the roar of foreign nations…
In Jerusalem, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world.
It will be a delicious banquet with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat.
There he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth.
He will swallow up death forever!
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears. – Isaiah 25:1,4-8

THE LORD’S PROMISES ARE TRUE EVERY MORNING.

Thank you, Lord, for faithfully meeting us again with the truth found in your word. Today we join Isaiah in praying the words found in chapter 26:

But for those who are righteous, the way is not steep or rough.
You are a God who does what is right, and you smooth out the path ahead of them.
Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.
All night long I search for you; in the morning I earnestly seek for God. – Isaiah 26:7-9a

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 13-16; Psalms 61

Hear the noise on the mountains!
Listen, as the vast armies march!
It is the noise and shouting of many nations.
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has called this army together.
They come from distant countries, from beyond the farthest horizons.
They are the Lord’s weapons to carry out his anger.
With them he will destroy the whole land. – Isaiah 13:4-5

God used Isaiah to inform His people that they would go through a time of punishment for all their years of unfaithfulness. He would use their enemies to carry out the consequences of their disobedience. But He also let them know that He would eventually punish those nations for their harsh treatment of His children. He would gather together his army from all across the universe to disperse his judgment on the pagan nations who were lording their power over His people.

Babylon’s days are numbered; its time of destruction will soon arrive. – Isaiah 13:22b

Those who captured Israel will themselves be captured, and Israel will rule over its enemies. – Isaiah 14:2b

Now the Lord says, “Within three years, counting each day, the glory of Moab will be ended. From its great population, only a few of his people will be left alive.” – Isaiah 16:14

Even in the midst of His anger and disappointment in the repeated disloyalty of the children of Israel, God showed Himself to be their Great Protector. Yes they would have to suffer the consequences of their selfish choices and deliberate sins, but He promised the day would come when they would be restored and their enemies would be defeated.

IN THE MIDST OF THEIR PAIN, HE GAVE THEM HOPE!

Come, everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise!
For the Lord Most High is awesome. He is the great King of all the earth.
He subdues the nations before us, putting our enemies beneath our feet. – Psalm 47:1-3

It was your right hand and strong arm
and the blinding light from your face that helped them,
for you loved them.
You are my King and my God.
You command victories for Israel.
Only by your power can we push back our enemies;
only in your name can we trample our foes.
I do not trust in my bow;
I do not count on my sword to save me.
You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies;
you disgrace those who hate us.
O God, we give glory to you all day long
and constantly praise your name. – Psalm 44:3b-8

O God, listen to my cry!
Hear my prayer!
From the ends of the earth,
I cry to you for help
when my heart is overwhelmed.
Lead me to the towering rock of safety,
for you are my safe refuge,
a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.
Let me live forever in your sanctuary,
safe beneath the shelter of your wings! – Psalm 61:1-4

Father God, may the truths we find in your scripture confirm to us how good you are. May your character be clearly seen, even while we are struggling to understand what is going on around us. May we learn to trust you through the difficult times and fully believe that you are our Great Protector and our Faithful Friend. Thanks for reminding us that the same God who loves us enough to get our attention when we have strayed is the One who will pull our enemies off of us and stand us back on our feet. With your right hand and your strong arm, as well as the blinding light from your face, you will help us because you love us. Thank you for that kind of grace! Amen.

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 18:1-12; 2 Chronicles 29-31

Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, was 25 years old when he became the next king of Judah. He behaved in ways that were pleasing to the Lord, removing pagan shrines and also breaking the bronze serpent to which God’s people were offering sacrifices (2 Kings 18:1-4). He repaired the Temple and reopened its doors, calling his country to return to the Lord in submission.

“For if you return to the Lord, your relatives and your children will be treated mercifully by their captors, and they will be able to return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful. If you return to him, he will not continue to turn his face from you.” – 2 Chronicles 30:9

THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL.

We serve a gracious God who has planned for our salvation. By His great mercy, we are allowed to make a return journey in our relationship with the Lord. If we will turn from our sinful ways and humble ourselves before God, He is ready to welcome us with open arms.

Hezekiah trusted in the Lord and remained faithful in everything he did, carefully obeying all the commands the Lord had given Moses. Hezekiah brought back the celebration of Passover and required his people to tithe so they would devote themselves fully to the Law of the Lord (2 Chronicles 31:4). And here’s the good part — the Lord was with Hezekiah, causing him to be successful in everything he did (2 Kings 18:7).

In this way, King Hezekiah handled the distribution throughout all Judah, doing what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God. In all that he did in the service of the Temple of God and in his efforts to follow God’s laws and commands, Hezekiah sought his God WHOLEHEARTEDLY. As a result, he was very successful. – 2 Chronicles 31:20-21

Oh the blessings God bestows on those who faithfully obey Him! He longs to generously pour out His love on us when we follow Him in obedience. The Lord desires to forgive us of our sins, equip us for holy living, and help us be successful in all He has asked us to do. Do you recognize the many ways in which God is blessing your obedience?

THE EVIDENCE THAT GOD CARES FOR YOU IS ALL AROUND. DO YOU SEE IT?

“Even an ox knows its owner, and a donkey recognizes its master’s care – but Israel doesn’t know its master. My people don’t recognize my care for them.” – Isaiah 1:3

I wonder how often I fail to recognize God’s blessings in my life – His tender care for me. This morning I long to wrap my mind around how incredible God is toward me DAILY! My prayer is that the death of Christ and His resurrection continues to get my attention; that I am able to recognize God’s favor and His care, and that my heart will respond in sincere thanksgiving toward my Creator, Provider and Friend.

“I will praise you, O Lord!
You were angry with me, but not anymore.
Now you comfort me.
See, God has come to save me.
I will trust in him and not be afraid.
The Lord God is my strength and my song, he has given me victory.” – Isaiah 12:1-2

O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God.
You do such wonderful things!
You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them. – Isaiah 25:1

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal rock…
For those who are righteous, the way is not steep and rough.
You are a God who does what is right, and you smooth out the path ahead of them.
Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws;
Our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.
All night long I search for you;
In the morning I earnestly seek for God. – Isaiah 26:3-4,7-9a

I love that last verse. It describes how I wake up in the morning – with a longing to hear from God. He is so faithful to meet us when we turn to Him! His care for us is evidenced in His response to us. If we seek Him, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13).

EVERY GOOD AND WONDERFUL THING IN MY LIFE IS A GIFT FROM GOD!

Oh Lord, thank you so much for your tender care of me. When I am scared or lonely, you comfort me. When I am happy, it is because you have filled me with your joy. As I start a new day, I trust in you for what is ahead. You are my eternal rock and I long to fix my thoughts on you and stay there. The road ahead is unknown but I believe the way will not be steep or rough, for you will smooth out the path ahead for me. Glory to God in the Highest! Praise His Name!!!

Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. – Psalm 100:1-3