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May 4 + Daily readings & notes

DAY 124

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DAILY READINGS

Isaiah 58-60 & Psalm 119:153-176

DAILY NOTES

Isaiah 58

  • God makes a case against the worship of the people.  While their worship was "right," it wasn't righteous.  They were doing worship for their own benefit.  
    • Y'all don't want me to start preaching, right?
  • God mentions fasting.  Notice that God isn't pleased if you fast but ignore the needs of others.  An acceptable fast allows you to 
    • loose the bonds of inustice
    • undo the thongs of the yoke
    • let the oppressed go free
    • break every yoke
    • share your bread with the hungry
    • bring the homeless poor into your house
    • see the naked and cover them
    • not hide yourself from your own kin
      • Can not eating M&Ms during Lent do all that?
Isaiah 59
  • Israel recognizes its sin (vs.12). 
  • God dressed himself (vs17) to battle against injustice.
  • There is a promise that the spirit of God will be given and not taken away.  God puts the spirit in the mouth of the people and it carries into their children and their children's children.
Isaiah 60
  • Notice that God gives the image of light to encourage the people.
  • Other nations will join in Israel's return and bring gifts that the people of God will benefit from.  All this will be to God's praise and the people's favor.
  • Peace, Righteousness, Salvation and Praise are what the new kingdom will be built upon (vs. 17-18).

Psalm 119

  • You finished reading the longest psalm today.  The psalmist continually honored God's commands and decrees as truth.  There is no situation the psalmist did not look to God's word for direction, encouragement and even conviction.
  • Part of recalling God's promises is recalling God's word.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

For many chapters now we've heard about this promise of God.  The people are being told that one day they will return home.  They can expect that their current situation, all due to their failings, will be reversed.  Line after line we are told and retold how much the people of God have to look forward to when they return.

It's hard to say how much time each chapter might symbolize.  Here's what we know: It was all God's time.

Chapter 60 ends with these words: In its time I will accomplish it quickly.

Notice God didn't say I will accomplish this quickly.  It seems like when it begins it will all come about quickly.  In the mean time, we wait.

How many times have you heard me say that?  Faith in God requires trust in God.  Trust in God requires a bit of patience.  God isn't bound by our calendars or sense of time.  God is preparing the way for his people.  God is preparing the way for us.  You're just going to have to wait for God to do it.

I remember the chorus of an old gospel song I heard once.  It was about Jesus raising Lazarus.  If you remember that story, Jesus didn't abide by everyone's expectations of time.  The words of the song were something like this: Isn't it great. When he's 4 days late he's still right on time.

Happy waiting.

Stay blessed...john
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