Reading your Bible for Today August 12

August 12: Isaiah 1:1-5

KJV Key Verse: Isaiah 1:5
5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

Devotion:
How many times have you watched a film or read a book where the hero is the bad guy? More and more stories are being told where the so called “good guy” is the one who is breaking the laws to get something done. Is there little wonder then that some people are getting confused about what is actually right and wrong...

Before I came to know Christ I used to look up to one or two people who were constantly getting into trouble. I used to look up to them because they would make a stand against society. But as the years have gone on and I have grown up in God's hands, I have begun to realise how breaking rules or laws does not help those around me. When we start to break one or two small laws, we begin to think it may be right to do those things. We carry on breaking them and before long our guard is down concerning more and more laws. The more that continues, the more we are unable to see what is wrong with the things which we are doing.

It is little wonder that Israel was described as it is in Isaiah: “the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.” What was happening in these times was the kings and leaders were breaking God's laws, leading by bad example, confusing the people. Once the leaders were corrupt, it was hard for the people themselves to understand what was right and wrong and hard for them to go against the stream and do good.

The Word was sent out for the people to wake up! For as long as we continue to follow bad examples, we are in a state similar to being asleep – we cannot discern what is right and wrong, just like not knowing whether we are still dreaming or awake. We have to open our eyes to everything going on around us and open God's Word to make sure that we continue to follow a good example in our lives rather than something we think is cool!

Points to Ponder:
Who do you look upon as being a hero or heroine? 

How high is God in that list?