Daily Devotional
Sunday: “Come and Seek”: Isaiah 55:1-13
God extends His invitation to the Gentiles, clearly establishing His covenant with them. There is no money required. Everything has been prepared. The table has been set. All is ready for the feasting. The banquet will feed us physically and spiritually—our part is to turn from wickedness, step forward, and accept His invitation.
Monday: Worship Him: Isaiah 56:1-8
Lest we think God’s invitation is only for God’s chosen people, it is made clear that God extends His invitation to all. He invites all of us to join His banquet and He adopts us into His family and bestows on us the birthright. Once we have been adopted, our lives should be dramatically changed. We should desire to put off our sinful ways and walk in obedience to God. Entering into the Sabbath rest means much more than ceasing our labors. We “enter in” that we might set aside the cares of the world, and more fully focus on the Lord and worship Him.
Tuesday: Godless Leaders & Idolators: Isaiah 56:9-57:13
A return to the covenant with God does not guarantee a new set of behaviors. There must be a radical change. It comes by obedience to the perfect standard of God’s commands. The godless influence of prideful leaders is what caused Judah to fall (Lamentations 4:13-14). Isaiah called them “blind watchmen,” and “sleeping dogs.” These leaders loved to sleep, and when they were awake, they were gluttonous drunkards. At the same time, God’s people were following the sensual worship of false gods: visiting shrine prostitutes in the groves; burning their children alive to Moloch, worshiping false idols, and committing fornication in their homes. Isaiah pronounces their idols “nothingness.”
Wednesday: The Proud and Greedy: Isaiah 57:14-21
God was angered by Israel’s greed, and hated their selfish pride. You might ask, “But how can we be different than Israel?” If we set out to produce our own righteousness it will utterly fail. It is because of God’s sovereignty and persistent grace that we are able to follow in His footsteps. If we keep our focus on Him, the way will be easy and the burden light.
Thursday: The Hypocrites: Isaiah 58:1-14
With God, having an appearance of piety and stating a desire to know His will aren’t good enough. He sees beyond the surface expressions and into the innermost chambers of the heart. He knows the very motivation of the outward appearances or vain speaking. God calls us to have behavior that is forgetful of “self”—behavior that shows the quality of character that comes from a clean heart. We must not worship because it is popular. We worship because it is the right thing to do!
Friday: The Unjust: Isaiah 59:1-15a
Our human nature fails us. We try in our own strength to produce the righteousness that God requires, but it ends in disastrous consequences. But God is faithful! When we place our trust in His righteousness and saving grace, He gives us the strength to follow Him and keep His commands.
Saturday: His Faithfulness: Isaiah 59:15b-21
As God delivered His people from Babylon, so he forgives us our sins. Does it end there? Is God unable to deliver us from our sinning? “Of course not!” claims the Apostle Paul. God will enable us to live blameless and walk righteously. By His Spirit and by His Words, God renews His eternal covenant.