Reading your Bible for today July 3

August 3: Isaiah 6:9-12

KJV Key Verse: Isaiah 6:11
11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterlydesolate,

Devotion:
How good are you at listening to instructions? Do you tend to listen to the basic instructions and then go off and do what you think is correct, or do you listen to every step and do it exactly as directed?

I think most of us will admit to doing things our own way because we like to think we know best. But when God asks you to do something you had better think long and hard before you change His plans! I cannot imagine what was going through Isaiah’s head when he was told to go and make the people calloused and hard to get through to. I think the job can be an easy one if you set about it the right way – we see enough people grow calloused about God’s word when people do not teach others what God is saying; but then again, God’s word itself will cut people’s hearts to the quick and lead them to Christ.

How did Isaiah know this was God and not some other agency trying to stop God from working in this place? Because it was delivered in a way only God could deliver the message. We need to listen intently to what God is saying to us and not just to take a flippant view of the words written down. God is reaching deep into our souls with a message which we need to hear and we need to live by those words. If we are going to try and do our own thing, then God may well allow us to walk ourselves into a dark corner.

When we are in a dark corner and facing a no-win situation, we will then start to look carefully at what God is presenting to us. But as long as we think we can do better ourselves, we face a dark corner. Facing the light may be difficult, especially if we can look away into a dim place instead; but facing the light is sometimes the only way forward for us and we need to stand firm and listen to God.

Points to Ponder:
Do you seek your own ways?

Will you put aside your ways for God’s ways?