As I mentioned in a previous entry, my friend Kristin has challenged us to a May scripture challenge. All you have to do to participate is (1) read scripture every day in the month of May and then (2) share a photo on instagram or Facebook using the hashtag #lampandlight. Since Isaiah is one of my favorite books of the bible, I decided I would read two to three chapters from Isaiah per day. When I finish Isaiah, I'll hop over to my other favorite book, Philippians. In Reading the Bible, I talked about the variety of ways you can read and meditate on scripture. Instead of keeping a journal/notebook, I'll use God Still Speaks as my notebook! Even if no one ever reads my blog, I'll have my virtual journal that I can return to time and time again.
But among all of that these verses stood out to me....
1:4 - You are doomed, you sinful nation, you corrupt and evil people! Your sins drag you down! You have rejected the Lord, and holy God of Israel, and you have turned your backs on him.
1:18 - The Lord says, "Now, let's settle the matter. You are stained red with sin, but I will wash you clean as snow. Although your stains are deep red, you will be white as wool. If you will only obey me, you will eat the good things the land produces. But if you defy me, you are doomed to die. I, the Lord, have spoken."
1:25 - I will take action against you. I will purify you the way metal is refined, and will remove all your impurity.
1:27 - Because the Lord is righteous, he will save Jerusalem and everyone there who repents.
2: 17-18 - Human pride will be ended and human arrogance will be destroyed. Idols will completely disappear, and the lord alone will be exalted on that day.
God did not leave us to wallow in our own sinful filth, forever ignored by a righteous Heavenly Father who cannot be corrupted by sin. He sent his son Jesus to fulfill verses 18, 25, and 27 so that we can exalt God through our Savior as described in 2:17-18.
I'm thankful for the gift of my Savior and although being purified also means being refined through the fire I do not and can not lose focus on the fact that God is making good on His promise to us. He will remove our impurities and wash us white as snow!
Day 1 | Isaiah 1-3
The Jerusalem that we see in Isaiah looks a whole lot like the America I know today. Yeah, I said it. Almost all of Isaiah 1 talks about how sinful people have become, they're drowning in idol worship, have almost completely rejected God except to pray for their own selfish ambitions (can we say prosperity gospel class? Yes, we can.) Jerusalem is compared here to Sodom and Gomorrah, which is a serious indictment (read Genesis 18-19)! I cannot help but see our own leaders reflected back to me in 1:23. People don't want God or religion. Many of us choose to turn our backs on him and pursue our own ambitions and desires. Consequences be dammed! This has been our choice since before the fall of man - God allows us to choose freely; the problem is we're stupid and regularly choose wrong!But among all of that these verses stood out to me....
1:4 - You are doomed, you sinful nation, you corrupt and evil people! Your sins drag you down! You have rejected the Lord, and holy God of Israel, and you have turned your backs on him.
1:18 - The Lord says, "Now, let's settle the matter. You are stained red with sin, but I will wash you clean as snow. Although your stains are deep red, you will be white as wool. If you will only obey me, you will eat the good things the land produces. But if you defy me, you are doomed to die. I, the Lord, have spoken."
1:25 - I will take action against you. I will purify you the way metal is refined, and will remove all your impurity.
1:27 - Because the Lord is righteous, he will save Jerusalem and everyone there who repents.
2: 17-18 - Human pride will be ended and human arrogance will be destroyed. Idols will completely disappear, and the lord alone will be exalted on that day.
God did not leave us to wallow in our own sinful filth, forever ignored by a righteous Heavenly Father who cannot be corrupted by sin. He sent his son Jesus to fulfill verses 18, 25, and 27 so that we can exalt God through our Savior as described in 2:17-18.
I'm thankful for the gift of my Savior and although being purified also means being refined through the fire I do not and can not lose focus on the fact that God is making good on His promise to us. He will remove our impurities and wash us white as snow!
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Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests to made known to God. — Philippians 4:6