Sheila W. - July 1, 2010
Scripture:
Isaiah 1:15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; 16 wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, 17 learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. 18 "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; 20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Observation:
Isaiah has been given a vision about Judah and Jerusalem during the reigns of four kings. Man, is it bad! God is angry and telling Judah what He will do (or not do) about it. There's a good ending if the people will obey.
Application:
As I read each verse in chapter one, I started standing up a little straighter, my mind sobering to the contents. To think that my loving God would say "I will not listen." Ugh. I NEVER want to be in that place, so how does it happen to GET there?? Get clean, Sheila! Quit doing things you know are wrong and do things that are right! I have to admit, sometimes I get tired of being "faithful," of always being there, doing things for Him. An awful thing to say, but true. Reading this makes me get my head on straight again and say "Anything for You, any sacrifice, any energy...I lay myself down for You, no matter the cost."
The other thing I see in this is REPENTANCE. In today's church culture, that's not a very popular word unless a "big deal" is made about it in a church--like everyone praying for repentance as a whole or the pastor preaching about it or whatever makes everyone get on the bandwagon about repenting. I have to repent each and every time I sin, whether it's something I totally see or something that is a sin of omission. I have to humble myself daily and search for errors in my behavior, speech, attitude, thought processes, every area of my life!! Sounds like work to me; uh...it IS.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, You are a true and loving God, but I also know that You hate sin and selfishness. I pray for the Holy Spirit to keep convicting me when I don't live the way You command. Help me to be humble and search my heart, to turn from evil ways, and ask for forgiveness. I want to live "white as snow." I devote myself to You, Father. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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