Some amazing inspiration in today’s reading! I’d like to focus though specifically on Isaiah 59.

Isaiah 59 begins with one of the favorite passages of those of us who have been prodigal children and went out and wasted our Father’s “money” on riotous living,

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short
That it cannot save;
Nor is His ear so dull
That it cannot hear.”

Oh praise Jesus for this truth!

But if we stop there in Isaiah 59 we miss a very sad reality.

It is true the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save…and His ear is not so dull that He cannot hear…

But He will not save us against our wills.

And Isaiah 59 is a story of people that reject the easiest gift on earth to receive, SALVATION

Isaiah 59 presents this powerful, beautiful, glorious truth and then shows us that people will continue to pursue iniquity and God’s arm won’t force them.

Verse 8 in particular struck me,

“They do not know the way of peace,
And there is no justice in their tracks;
They have made their paths crooked,”

“They have made their paths crooked…”

God didn’t force them. God didn’t choose some to be lost and some to be saved. Our sin is our choice and it makes our path crooked.

This verse caught my attention because of another favorite verse of many,

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.” -Proverbs 3:5, 6

In this world we have two options…trust our own ways, lean on our own understanding, never acknowledge Him (i.e. pursue all iniquity) and our paths will be crooked.

Accept His arm of grace…

Call out to His ear that is listening for you right now…

And He will make your paths straight.

Which will you choose?

Tomorrow’s Reading: Tomorrow we start the Gospel of immediacy or urgency! Mark 1 & 2