Tag: Jesus

The Day of the LORD – Past & Future

Joel 1-3

Devotion by Sherry Alcumbrack (South Carolina)

When we have something important to tell someone and we want to make sure they understand, we will repeat it many times. In the small book of Joel, “the day of the Lord” is mentioned five times, so we know that this is its central theme. That lets us know that what he is telling us is important to understand, he wants to make sure we get it.

There are two “Days of the Lord” mentioned. One is a past event, Israel had been ravaged by locusts: gnawing locusts, swarming locusts, creeping locusts, and stripping locusts. This was a judgement against Israel and the sins against God that they committed. In Chapter 1:14 to gain repentance Joel suggests that they: “consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all inhabitants of Israel to the house of the Lord, and cry out to the Lord.” He understood their need for repentance.  Chapter 2: 12-13 says “’Yet even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping, and mourning; and tear your heart and not merely your garments.’ Now return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in mercy and relenting of catastrophe.” He tells us that we have to do more than tearing our clothes (an outward sign), we need to change our hearts, if we do that, God will forgive us.

It even says that he will make up for the years that the locusts have taken and that his spirit will be poured out on all mankind. That verse is very important to all of us. Chapter 2:28 says “It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, your young men will see visions.” This is no longer just to the Israelites, he is talking to all of us about a future “day of the Lord.” The people of Israel had to go to the temple to receive forgiveness of their sins with an animal sacrifice. God made a new way when he gave us Jesus as our sacrificial lamb, so now we can repent and be baptized and our sins are forgiven. We look forward to the future “day of the Lord”, when Jesus will return to the earth, and will usher in the Kingdom of God. What a glorious Day that will be!

Reflection Questions

  1. Why is repentance – and how we do it – important to God? What gets in the way of our true repentance?
  2. Contrast the mood in the beginning of Joel to the mood at the end. What makes the difference?
SGL.2025.AugustFullPageDownload

Who Will Stand in the Gap?

Ezekiel 21-23

Devotion by Pastor Jeff Fletcher – originally posted for SeekGrowLove on March 25, 2017, for Ezekiel 22-23.

Throughout Ezekiel there are certain themes that keep circling back around: God’s judgment against Jerusalem, Israel’s unfaithfulness to God.  In today’s reading we see another very graphic depiction of Israel’s immorality.  This time, it’s the northern kingdom of Samaria and the southern kingdom of Judah. They are likened to two sisters who prostitute themselves.  They again perform lewd acts shaming themselves before their neighbors.  It’s very sad, indeed.

God searches for someone to help:  “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.”  God could find no one righteous to fill the gap and act as the mediator between God and His people.

We know the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ and God’s Kingdom.  One day, Jesus would stand in the gap to keep God from destroying the earth.  Jesus on the cross fills the gap between a holy God and a sinful people.

I hope that these devotions from Ezekiel will help you to see some important truths with greater clarity.  God loves His people very much.  God wants His people to be faithful and obedient. Some are and some aren’t.  When His people are unfaithful, God brings calamity and judgment, in order to turn people’s hearts back to Him.  It’s not the judgment that ultimately turn hearts, but it’s the fact that despite all of our wicked acts that deserve punishment, God is faithful to His promises and His steadfast love remains.  Ultimately, it’s God’s mercy that leads us to repentance.  May you know His love and His mercy through Jesus Christ, the man who did stand in the Gap for us.

Reflection Questions

  1. What are the main themes of Ezekiel? How can we learn from them?
  2. How does Jesus, a mediator to fill the gap, change the relationship between God and His people? How has it impacted your relationship with God?
SGL.2025.AugustFullPageDownload

God of Mercy. God of Justice.

Ezekiel 16-17

Devotion by Pastor Jeff Fletcher – originally posted for SeekGrowLove on March 23, 2017, for Ezekiel 17-19.

God used the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar to enact His judgment against Israel.  He carried off King Jehoiachin and 10,000 nobles to Babylon and installed Zedekiah to act as his vice regent or king in Jerusalem.  The prophet Jeremiah warned Israel that this was God’s judgment and that the exiles would not return from Babylon until the people repented.  But the people didn’t listen and false prophets gave Israel false hope that Babylon might soon fall.  So Zedekiah broke his treaty with Nebuchadnezzar and made an alliance with Egypt.   This led to a revolt against Babylon.  Nebuchadnezzar crushed the revolt.   Eventually, Jerusalem fell to Nebuchadnezzar and King Zedekiah and family were carried back to Babylon where they faced Nebuchadnezzar’s wrath.  Zedekiah had his eyes put out and his sons were executed.  Israel did not repent quickly nor easily, and because of her stubborn disobedience they continued to suffer.

In Ezekiel 17 God chose to use the allegory of an eagle plucking up the top of a cedar and then replanting it to depict His judgment against His people and to remind them of His power to build and His power to destroy.

In Ezekiel 18 God gives a very clear teaching to His people on the nature of sin, righteousness, judgement, repentance and forgiveness.  Each person is responsible for their own actions.  Parents are not held responsible by God for the sins of their children, and children are not held responsible by God for the sins of their parents.  Each person is responsible for their own behavior.  In the same way, you don’t get credit for your parents good behavior if you do bad.  Each person is responsible for their own sin and will be judged accordingly.

There is good news imbedded in Ezekiel 18.  God doesn’t take any pleasure in seeing wicked people die.  God wants to see people who do evil turn away from their evil.  God wants everyone to repent.  If an evil person repents, God will not punish them.  If a righteous person turns evil, they will be punished for their evil behavior.  God is a God of both mercy and justice.  He will punish unrepentant evildoers and he will forgive and restore those who repent of their evil.  This chapter is best summarized in the final three verses:  30 “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!

In Ezekiel 19, there is a lament for the end of the Messianic dynasty that came from David.  Since the time of David, his descendants, beginning with Solomon reigned as Kings over Israel.  But that has been brought to an end.  There were no more descendants of David serving as the Lord’s anointed over Israel.  Of course, we have the benefit of hindsight.  We live on this side of the New Testament.  After several hundred years of NOT having a descendent of David as King of Israel, one was finally born in Bethlehem and his name is Jesus.  One day, Jesus will sit upon the throne and rule over not only Israel, but all the earth.  In the meantime, we have a choice, we can turn away from our sins and turn to God, or we can face the judgment.  Jesus Christ is God’s provision for our salvation.  We go to him to get a new heart and a new spirit.

Reflection Questions

  1. Why did God provide an allegory for the people in Ezekiel 17?
  2. How often is suffering directly or indirectly an effect of disobedience to God or a lack of repentance?
  3. Is it easier or harder to read, study, believe, and live out the Old Testament teachings now or before the New Testament was written? What are the advantages to each side? How can that impact how we read the Bible today and how should we respond?
SGL.2025.AugustFullPageDownload

Spiritual Adultery

Ezekiel 13-15

Devotion by Pastor Jeff Fletcher – originally posted for SeekGrowLove on March 22, 2017, for Ezekiel 14-16.

Chapter 14 gives us a picture of the heart of God.  Elsewhere in the Bible it says that God is a jealous God.  God loves His people Israel as a husband loves his bride.  Israel turned away from God’s love, their hearts were no longer given to God.  God wants more than anything else to recapture the hearts of His people who deserted him to pursue idols.  God wants them to repent and turn back to Him.

God wants to have His people love Him exclusively.  He will not let them worship idols, yet still come to him for prophecy.  This would be similar to a woman who both goes to her lover but then comes to her husband as well.  God will have none of this, no two timing wife.  Israel must have a change of heart and that will only happen through judgment.  The prophets were not permitted to prophesy for people who were also consulting idols.  If the prophets did prophesy to those seeking idols, they too would be punished.

God tells Ezekiel that His judgment is certain and that no human being, no matter how righteous or faithful can stop that judgment.  He warns that even if such great men of faith as Noah, Daniel or Job sought to keep Israel from judgment that their righteousness would not be able to save Israel.

In Chapter 15 God promises to make Jerusalem as desolate and useless as a dried up vine that has been thrown into a fire.  Just as the vine will be totally consumed by the fire, so too, will Jerusalem be consumed by the fire of God’s judgment.

Chapter 16 is one of the most graphic passages in all of the Bible.  If the Song of Solomon was rated PG-13, Ezekiel 16 would probably be rated R or NC-17.  It is extremely disturbing to read.  God compares Israel to an unwanted, discarded child whom God rescued from its disgrace.  God later came along when Israel was old enough to be married, but she was naked and dirty.  God cleaned her up, covered over her nakedness, dressed her up like a princess and made her his bride.  Israel was blessed beyond imagination by God her husband.  But then, tragically, Israel turned to prostitution.  Here Idolatry is likened to a form of spiritual adultery.  Israel had brought great shame upon her husband.  In fact, she was worse than a prostitute in that she paid others her gold and silver to sleep with her.  It’s such a disturbing picture.  And it’s designed to give us a visceral reaction.  It’s a gut punch.

The fact that God must punish Israel for her spiritual adultery is not surprising.  Israel is only getting what they deserve.  What is surprising is that God is going to restore Israel.  Not because Israel deserves it now any more than it deserved it when God first cleaned her up and made her His bride.  God is doing it because God is faithful to His Covenant promises.  God made a promise to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants, Israel.  God does not forget His covenant or break his promises.  God is filled with steadfast love for His people.

After punishing Israel, God will then make atonement for them.  He will cover over their sin and guilt and forgive them and take them back.  Then they will remember their vows and be ashamed of their guilt and will become a faithful wife and turn away from idols.

As Christians, we have been grafted into God’s family and we are now included as God’s bride.  Through Jesus Christ God has found us in our sin, cleaned us up and made us His own.  Are we sometimes guilty of idolatry?  Do we ever act unfaithfully toward God and give our hearts to someone or something else instead of God?  Remember, Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to Love God with all your heart.  God wants All your heart.  God is jealous when we give our hearts to another.  May Israel’s spiritual adultery remind us that we must give our hearts fully only to God and no one else.  Otherwise, God may have to win our hearts back the way he did Israel, and we can see how unpleasant that process was for them.  Let’s always keep our hearts faithful to God alone.

Reflection Questions

  1. What promises had God already made to the Israelite people?
  2. What must the people do to keep their side of the covenant promises with God?
  3. What can you do to give all your heart to God and avoid spiritual adultery?
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Idolatrous Attachments

Ezekiel 5-8

Devotion by Pastor Jeff Fletcher – originally posted for SeekGrowLove on March 20, 2017, for Ezekiel 5-9.

This portion of Ezekiel is, admittedly, difficult to read.  It’s a pretty graphic account of God impending judgment against the city of Jerusalem and his people, Israel.  God tells Ezekiel to shave his head and beard.  This would have been an act of mourning for most people, but it was double disturbing for Ezekiel, since he was a priest and normally forbidden from shaving his head or beard.  Ezekiel was told to burn, take a sword to, and scatter his cut hair.  This was to symbolize what was to happen to Israel.  A few hairs were kept back, symbolic of the remnant who would not be destroyed.

God accuses his people, Israel, the chosen nation, of being worse than the other nations.  They broke the law more than the nations that did not have the law.  God was bringing his judgment against His own people.  The description of the siege almost defies comprehension, including cannibalism of both parents and children.  This was to serve as a warning to the other nations: if this is how God treats his own people for their idolatry, beware of what he will do to you.

In Ezekiel six God makes it clear that their judgement is upon them because of their idolatry. However, there is a remnant that will be spared and live in captivity and will come to repentance.

In Ezekiel seven, a special emphasis is made regarding their idolatrous attachment to gold and silver.  This wealth that they turned to and fashioned into idols will be unable to save them from the coming judgment.  All the money in the world can’t save you from judgment.

In Chapter eight Ezekiel has a vision of the temple in Jerusalem.  This includes the “Idol of jealousy” which we discover is the pagan god Tammuz.  Tammuz was the Sumerian god of food and vegetation.  At the summer solstice there was a period of mourning as the people saw the shortening of days and the approaching drought.  Sacrifices were made to Tammuz at the door of the Jerusalem Temple.  This was an absolute abomination to Israel’s God, YHWH as He made it clear that He alone was to be worshipped as God (see Deuteronomy 6:4-5).

In Chapter Nine an angel is sent out to put a mark on all of the people of the city who did not commit idolatry and worship Tammuz.  They would be spared.  But then all those who did not receive a mark would be destroyed.  This is reminiscent of the story of Exodus, when the doorposts of the Israelites were to be marked with the blood of the sacrificial lamb, and those with the mark were spared their firstborn sons dying when the Angel of Death passed over their houses.  It also points to the future (See Revelation 13) when the beast will cause people to have a mark on their forehead or they would not be able to buy or sell.  This is contrasted with those in Revelation 14 who have the name of God and of the lamb on their foreheads.

God is a God of love and mercy.  God has provided a means for us to be rescued from the consequences of sin.  There is a way for each of us to be spared the final judgment of God that is coming.  Jesus Christ, the lamb of God is the only means by which we can escape judgment.  Along with God’s mercy is His holiness.  God will not allow sin and rebellion to continue on earth forever.  A day of judgment is coming for all the earth just as it did for the nation of Israel.  God tolerated their sin for only so long, and then came the time for judgment.  Mercifully, God spared those who repented by placing His mark upon them.  God has been tolerating sinful rebellion on earth, but a day is coming when He will destroy sin and sinners who have not repented and turned away from their sins and turned to him through Jesus Christ.  Ezekiel’s harsh imagery should remind us that we must not forget that God’s wrath is coming from which we all need to escape, and we need to warn others.  This won’t make us popular, but doing God’s will is seldom popular among the rebellious.

Reflection Questions

  1. What idols are present in the world today? And in your life?
  2. How does God’s love and mercy work with His justice?
  3. Has popularity ever been an idol for you over God’s will? When have you chosen popularity over God’s will? When have you chosen God’s will over popularity?
SGL.2025.AugustFullPageDownload

Entitlement

 Jeremiah 7-9 

Whether it’s social media, the news, gossip about the neighbor down the road, we seem to hear the term “entitlement” a lot these days. For whatever reasons, some people think they deserve preferential treatment. We could blame social media for what seems to be an uptick in this kind of behavior, and to some extent, that might be true. However, we do find in today’s reading, that entitlement goes back a really long time. 

In chapter 7, we see Judah believed that because they lived on the land of the Lord’s Temple, they were invincible. This belief caused them to become so bold that they begin committing crimes and worshiping other gods and then going directly to the temple to “worship” God (7:9-11) As if that were not bad enough, in verse 30, the people seem to have skipped the middle man and just went ahead and set up their idols and worse in the temple (7:30) They were truly entitled, thinking their lineage and perfunctory worship was enough. 

But of course, God sees all this. I like how the Message version puts it, “I’ve got eyes in my head. I can see what’s going on.” God even tells them that they can go ahead and eat the sacrifices they offered because they are now meaningless to Him (7:21). 

Throughout the rest of our reading, God tells the people through Jeremiah, what He has seen. 

Yet amazingly, woven throughout the description of sins and their consequences, God lays out what they need to do to be saved from destruction. 

Reform from your ways and your actions and I will let you live in this place (7:3). 

Obey me and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you (7:23-24). 

But let him who boasts boast about this, that he understands and knows Me. That I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth for in those I delight, declares the Lord. (9:24) 

Well, not so much in chapter 8…that’s mostly promised punishments. Yikes! 

As Christians we know that we are not entitled to anything. We are not entitled because of our lineage in the church, the amount of time or finances we give, or even all the lessons we teach. We are only entitled to salvation through the grace of God through Christ. And Praise the Lord for that! 

Prayer: 

Dear Lord, 

Please never let us get so complacent in our worship that it becomes meaningless to You. Let us walk in obedience that you may be our God and we will be your people. 

In Christ’s precious name, 

Amen 

-Maria Knowlton

Reflection Questions

  1. Where have you seen entitlement – in society, Scripture, your life?
  2. Is there anything in your life that you have been pretending that God does not see? He sees. Stop pretending and talk to God about it.
  3. Do you think the Lord delights in you? How have you seen God’s kindness, justice and righteousness to you or others (9:24)? What are you still looking forward to?
SGL.2025.JulyFullPageDownload

Burnt Bedbugs

Jeremiah 4-6

Recently, I was involved in a discussion about parasites. (Old people, right?) One person was telling how their house became infested with bed bugs after buying a used car. Exterminators had to come and use equipment that heated up the ENTIRE house to 135 degrees fahrenheit! All plastics, foods, and other meltable items had to be removed from the home and it cost thousands of dollars. But it was the only way to completely get rid of every one of those little buggers! This story popped into my head while spending time in today’s reading. 

Chapter 4 starts out almost hopeful. Jeremiah tells the people of Judah that if they just turn to God, God will forgive them and they will live free. That hopefulness lasts for about 4 verses. Then, Jeremiah warns of destruction from the north (Babylon). The rest of our reading is pretty dire. In chapter 5, Jeremiah lists their sins, the reasons the Lord is so displeased with them. His chosen people were being cruel to each other, getting rich through exploitation of the poor, and rebellious towards His decrees. Even the priest and prophets were proven to be cheats and liars and no one seems to notice or care (5:31). 

So God promises destruction, similar to what the exterminators have to do to get rid of bedbugs. In 4:11, Jeremiah speaks of a scorching wind that will come and bring ruin to the land, followed by the army from a distant land. While God promises not to destroy it completely, it will be enough that the earth will mourn its loss (4:28). 

Jeremiah ends today’s reading by comparing Judah with metal. As a blacksmith tests metal to determine its strength, God has tested the people but finds they are like tin foil (6:28-30). 

Or maybe they are like all the plastic that had to be removed before my friend’s house had to be heated up to the extreme to destroy the bugs. They would not be able to survive God’s judgment without his mercy. We will read more about that later. 

As we consider these passages today, let’s reflect on the fact that we would be in the same position as the people of Judah without the sacrificial grace we have received through Jesus Christ. Like a plastic popcorn bowl, Jesus has taken us out of the house before the coming heat.. In this case, the second death (Revelation 20:14-15). 

Prayer: 

Dear Lord, 

While the judgement of Your people may be hard to hear, we must so that we can learn from their sins and so that we can also more greatly appreciate the importance of the grace we have received through the blood of Jesus Christ. Let us be aware of the ways the world is trying to turn us to rebellion. Thank you for your promises of peace in this life and everlasting time with You in the next. 

In your Son’s name, Amen 

-Maria Knowlton

Reflection Questions

  1. What are some of the world’s thoughts on God’s judgment? What does God tell Jeremiah about His judgment?
  2. Who gets God’s judgment? Who gets God’s mercy? What does Jeremiah say?
SGL.2025.JulyFullPageDownload

Not Vague Hopes but Guaranteed Realities – God’s Promises

Isaiah 59-63


These chapters are a crescendo of God’s redemptive plan. From the confession of sin in Isaiah 59 to the celebration of salvation in Isaiah 63, we see a God who refuses to leave His people in darkness. Though judgment is real and sin has separated people from Him, God promises to act, not because His people are worthy, but because He is faithful.

Isaiah 59 opens with a hard truth: the problem is not that God is distant, but that sin separates us from Him. Yet God does not abandon His people. In verses 15–20, He looks and sees there is no one to intercede, so He promises to send a savior who will put on righteousness like armor and salvation like a helmet. This is a clear prophetic picture of Jesus, the Redeemer, who comes to Zion and turns hearts from transgression.

Isaiah 60:1 is stated as an enthusiastic command: “Arise, shine, for your light has come!”

God promises a day when His glory will shine on His people, even though darkness covers the earth. This is not merely for dramatic effect, it is the fulfillment of God’s plan to make His people a light to the nations. In Christ, this light has come, and now we are called to shine with His glory!

Isaiah 61 contains one of the most beautiful promises in all of Scripture, the mission of the coming Messiah:

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor…” (Isaiah 61:1)

Jesus quoted this very passage in Luke 4 and said, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” God promises comfort, freedom, healing, and restoration. He trades ashes for beauty, mourning for joy, and despair for praise.

God is not content to redeem, He delights to rejoice over His people. In Isaiah 62:4 He says, “You will be called Hephzibah (My delight is in her), and your land Beulah (married).” No longer forsaken, no longer desolate, God’s people will be treasured, honored, and watched over like a crown in His hand.

God shows up as a mighty warrior, executing justice and salvation in Isaiah 63. He judges evil but also remembers mercy. In verses 7-9, the prophet recalls God’s faithful love and how He personally rescued and carried His people, to magnify His name in the world. His promises are not cold declarations, they are acts of compassion, flowing from His heart.

God’s promises are not vague hopes, they are guaranteed realities. When sin separates, He comes to redeem. When darkness falls, His glory rises. When the broken cry out, He binds their wounds. And when His people forget, He remembers. He is the God who keeps His covenants forever.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You that You are the God who keeps Your promises. When I am weak, You fight for me. When I am broken, You heal. When I am in darkness, You shine. Help me trust Your Word, live in Your truth, and walk in the light of Your glory. In your son Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• Where do you struggle to put your trust in God?

• How have you grieved God’s Holy Spirit & have you repented, turned from sin, and gratefully accepted restoration?

• How has God’s light shone through you, in the midst of darkness?

• Are you walking in the identity and mission God has given you? 

-Beth Osborn

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Our Faithful God’s Big Promises and Plans

Isaiah 54-58

Isaiah 54-58 paints a beautiful picture of God’s mercy, restoration, and covenant faithfulness. While written in the context of Israel’s exile and return, these words convey God’s love and faithfulness for all generations and people. They offer hope of the New Covenant, which is fulfilled in Christ and graciously extended to all who call upon His name.

In Isaiah 54, God speaks to a people who feel forgotten and barren. They have lost trust in God, and betrayed him numerous times. Yet, He invites them to sing with joy and promises to enlarge their tents! Why? Because He is about to fulfill His promise of restoration. Though they had strayed, His covenant of peace stands firm:

“With everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 54:8)

“My unfailing love for you will not be shaken.” (Isaiah 54:10)

God knows exactly what He intends his people to become. He knows exactly what circumstances, both good and bad, are necessary to produce that result in our life. Will we trust him through it all, with greater faith and obedience than the Israelites?

God himself grants an invitation to the weary and empty in Isaiah 55.

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters.” (Isaiah 55:1)

It’s important to note, that this is not a transaction but a gift. The gift of life, of forgiveness, and of purpose. Isaiah points us to a “Davidic covenant” made new: an everlasting covenant for all who will listen and obey God’s Word. His promises are not vague hopes, rather they are declarations backed by His unchanging character.

In the New Covenant, Jesus is the Living Water and the Bread of Life. The “free” offer in Isaiah 55 becomes the gospel invitation: “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us that God’s thoughts and ways are far above our own. This doesn’t mean He is indifferent to our suffering, rather that His plan is bigger than what we can see or understand. In our limited perspective, we often can’t fully understand what God is doing. But Isaiah assures us that God is always at work, even when we can’t fathom his ways.

In Isaiah 56, God declares that the foreigner and the eunuch (those who were once excluded), now have a place in His house. The New Covenant throws the doors wide open! No one is too far gone, too broken, or too different. In Christ, all are welcomed and made new. That is excellent news for us, as Gentiles!

Isaiah 57 declares that God dwells in two places: the high and holy place, and with the contrite and lowly in spirit. That’s the mystery of grace. He’s not looking for spiritual perfection, but for hearts that are humble and honest. The New Covenant brings God near, not because we’ve earned it, but because Christ has made the way.

The New Covenant doesn’t reward the proud or the religious elite. It finds its home in the hearts of those who know their need and bow before God in humility, repentance, and dependence.

Religion says, “I messed up, my Dad is going to kill me!”, whereas Sonship says, “I messed up, I need my Dad’s help!”

Isaiah 58 makes it clear that God isn’t impressed with hypocritical, half-hearted religion. He desires hearts that reflect His justice and compassion. Fasting, prayer, and worship are empty if they’re disconnected from love for the Father and love for others. Proper fasting humbles us, blesses others, and honors God. This echoes the heart of Jesus’ ministry. The New Covenant reshapes our worship, not just as acts of ritual and obedience, but as a life poured out for others, empowered by the Spirit of God, and rewarded with blessings of salvation and the Messiah’s kingdom!

Let us live as grateful recipients of the New Covenant. Set apart and motivated not by religious performance, but by a relationship with our loving Creator. May we display trust, obedience, and confident hope in the one true God, our loving and merciful Father, who always keeps His promises.

Prayer:

Father in heaven, let me receive Your grace freely and trust that Your Word will bear fruit in my life. Come and dwell in me, not because I am worthy, but because You are full of mercy. Father, teach me to worship You in truth, not just with words, but with action. May my life reflect the love, kindness, and action that You desire. In your son, Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• Where in your life have you doubted God’s faithfulness?

• Is your faith more about ritual (religion) or relationship (sonship) ?

• Do you believe that God’s ways are better than yours, even when life hurts?

• What areas of life do you need to surrender to God, allowing Him to turn your brokenness into beauty, for his glory?

• How can you practice “true fasting” this week? 

-Beth Osborn

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Made to be a Light

Isaiah 49-50; Psalm 135

Isaiah 49:6b (NIV84) – “I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Some readers love poetry; they love the figurative language, the allusions, the complex ideas that are simmered down into short phrases. Poetry forces the reader to slow down and use critical thinking to comprehend what’s being communicated. Sometimes it also requires the reader to know a little bit about the author and his or her life at the time the piece was composed. 

I am not one of those readers. I prefer the author to be straightforward with me. Just tell me what you want me to know without all of the fancy language and references that I may or may not have prior knowledge of. 

Reading the book of Isaiah is similar to reading poetry for me. I have to really study it. I have to use additional resources and commentaries to get a clue what is being said. And while I don’t prefer to have to spend an hour just to understand one chapter, the mental exercise is good for me. So here is what I’ve learned about Isaiah 49, specifically verses one through six.

It is the second out of four Servant Songs in the book of Isaiah. A Servant Song is a passage of verses that refer to the Messiah, Jesus. Not only does this chapter reference Jesus well before he was born, but it also mentions Gentiles (those not of the Israelite community). It’s not the first and only time that Gentiles are mentioned, but because Jesus is also alluded to it’s interesting to have two New Testament concepts written about together in the Old Testament.

As we know, in his ministry, Jesus often suffered opposition and what looked like failure in his mission to restore all people to God in order to have an eternal relationship with Him in the coming Kingdom. Isaiah 49:4 talks about this. But as we also know, Jesus’s death was not the end of the story.  

While this knowledge is important to understand, what’s the application to our modern day lives? My answer to this question took me a while to formulate, but here’s what I’ve come up with. I’m sure that there are other applications, but we’ll not delve into those right now. 

While Jesus is the Servant, we are servants of Jesus. John 12:26 says, “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” This means that we have the same ministry and mission that Jesus did: “to bring my salvation to the ends of the earth” (Is. 49:6b).

Second Corinthians 5:18-20 says it this way: “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

We are the hands and feet of Jesus, continuing to share the Gospel message with those who do not know it yet. 

A missionary friend of mine works in a local community. Her mission field is the youth of this neighboring community. She recently shared in an update that during a midweek youth gathering she shared the Gospel message, something she does quite regularly, but this time the response from the teens was more than usual. Praise God! But after that, one teen girl approached her and told my friend that this was the first time that she had ever heard about Jesus. My immediate thought was, “How is this possible? In our modern society where access to anything a person could ever want to know about is first a few finger clicks away, that a young person has never heard the name of Jesus?” But it’s true, there are people in our neighborhoods that don’t know about Jesus and the gift of salvation that comes through him. 

My friends, the work is not yet done. As servants and followers of the Servant, Jesus, we have the task to continue to reconcile our friends and neighbors to God by sharing the Gospel message. We will have opposition and think that we are failing at our mission, but take heart, you have been chosen to bring the message of salvation to the end of the earth (or to your neighbor).

Reflection Questions

What does it mean to you that God knows you, calls you, and has a purpose for you even before you were born? How does that shape your identity?

When have you felt like your efforts for God were in vain? How can you learn to rest in God’s timing, even when results aren’t visible?

What might “the ends of the earth” look like in your own life right now? Who is God calling you to reach or encourage with His message of hope?

-Bethany Ligon

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