“If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing they pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor speaking thing own words; Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Isaiah 58: 13-14
Today’s Christian daily devotional
“Mom, the Bears are playing the Packers today. Can’t we just go to church next week?” Patrick twiddled his thumbs in hopeful expectation.
Mrs. O Conner glanced up from her Kindle. She gave Patrick ‘her look’ and went right back to her screen.
“But, God is going to be in church next Sunday and who knows when a game this good is going to be on again!” Little Patrick was only ten, but his passion for the Packers ran deep.
Mrs. O Conner hated to be the one to enforce the “Sunday rule”. But, honoring God went deeper than just a family tradition. It was about putting God first in every aspect of their family’s lives.
Time passes quickly. With the busyness of everyday life, it can be easy to allow the days to run together. Starting the week off in God’s house is a healthy way to keep our priorities straight.
God doesn’t need us to fill empty pews in a church building. But we, who so quickly forget our dependence on Him, need to be reminded of whom we draw our strength from.
If you are having a hard time hearing from the Lord in your daily prayer life, perhaps it’s because you are neglecting to put God first in your week and life.
The church community is a great way not only to stay accountable, but to also make ourselves available to our brothers and sisters in the faith.
Church is about honoring the God you claim to love. When a person loves another, that love is proven through sacrifice. By giving our time and sacrificing our comfort we let God know that He comes first. He will never let that sacrifice go unnoticed. In Isaiah 58:13-14 we read that He has promised to reward those who earnestly seek Him.
“Dear Heavenly Father,
It is a sad thing that I have to pray for you to help me stay committed in seeking your face and presence.
I have gotten lazy knowing you are a gracious God that loves me despite my sin. I am showing my ungratefulness when I choose to wallow in my sin and rebellion and take advantage of that grace.
Forgive me, Lord.
I want to grow and mature in my relationship with you. In your word, you have commanded your people to honor you on the Sabbath day. Help me to remember that the Sabbath day is a Holy Day and I should be reverent with it.
As I commit to finding a church that honors you, help me to grow and learn by leaps and bounds. Lead me to the kind of church community that can help me and that I can help as well.
In Jesus’ precious name, because it is time for me to grow up, Amen.”
Thank you for reading today’s Christian daily devotional on verses: Isaiah 58: 13-14
Please check back and see what we have for you tomorrow!
Author: Julia Shalom Jordan