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Spiritual toddlerhood…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 27:5 “Or else let them come to me for refuge; let them make peace with me, yes, let them make peace with me.” (NIV)
What struck me about this verse today was that commentary discussed this verse in terms of the word strength (as in the KJV version), but I read the NIV version, which talks about seeking His refuge instead of His strength. I was surprised at the number of different interpretations for this verse—refuge, help, protection, strength. These words all evoke such different ideas and images for me.
Isaiah 27:5 “…unless they turn to me for help. Let them make peace with me; yes, let them make peace with me.” (NLT)
What struck me about the commentary was that it talked about taking hold of the Lord’s strength instead of trying to do in my own strength, something I absolutely struggle with. This translation and commentary resonate deeply because in many ways I feel like I’m spiritually stuck in toddlerhood, fiercely exclaiming, “I do it myself!!!” only to end up frustrated when I can’t do it by myself after all. Jesus, Help me.
Isaiah 27:5 “Or let them lay hold of my protection, let them make peace with me, let them make peace with me.” (ESV)
Lord, I do not want to languish in spiritual toddlerhood. I honestly don’t want to do this life without You. I am tired and frustrated that I am still fighting this battle of independence and trust when I know that I trust You unequivocally. Thank You for loving me fiercely, even now. Help me to lay this battle at Your feet. Draw me closer. Grant me Your peace. Amen.
Isaiah 27:5 “Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me.” (KJV)
Have a blessed day.
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Stillness…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
The idea of perfect peace is a beautiful one to me. I think, if I can ever conquer this inability to fully and completely trust, to lay any worry or trouble at His feet and leave it to Him instead of picking it up and fretting over it again, if I can get out of my own head and my own way and fully and completely trust Him, always, then I may be able to achieve perfect peace in Him. That will be a beautiful day indeed.
Isaiah 26:4 Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.
I think the roots of this perfect peace are in Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.” There is not a lot of stillness in my life. There’s always something to do, to plan, to grade, to clean, to sort. Perhaps my goal this week should simply be to strive for stillness and within that stillness to seek, notice, and know God’s power, strength, sovereignty. I have never shouldered my burdens all alone. He’s always been with me. Be still. Be still. Be still and know.
Isaiah 26:9 My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the trust that I am learning. Help me conquer the pointless worries and fretting that serve absolutely no purpose. Help me to be still and know that You are God. Always. Draw me closer. Amen.
Isaiah 26:12 Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.
Have a blessed day.
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Infinite compassion and grace…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 25:1 Lord, You are my God; I will exalt you and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness You have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.
Commentary mentions, when discussing this verse, that worshiping God is and always should be an intentional choice, a conscious, conscientious decision. That thought struck me. It goes hand-in-hand with trusting Him. I can definitively decide to worship Him, even in this storm, because I trust that He is who He says and He does what He promises, regardless of my circumstances.
Isaiah 25:4 You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.
Not only can we trust that He is who He says and He’ll do what He promises, but we can also trust that He will be attentive and compassionate. He’s not just a superhero, swooping in to thwart the bad guy. He’ll also stick around to wipe our tears, calm our fears, remind us who we are and Whose we are. Thank You, Jesus.
Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove His people’s disgrace from all the earth.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for laying Your truth on my heart. Thank You for Your infinite compassion and grace as I work through trust issues I don’t even understand. Thank You for who You are and who You are to me. Amen.
Isaiah 25:9 In that day they will say “Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him, and He saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in Him; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”
Have a blessed day.
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Ranks and divisions…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 24:1 See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants—
We spend an inordinate amount of time on this earth establishing division and hierarchy. Trying to get ahead assumes there is someone who you are getting ahead OF, and that feels terribly important at times.
Isaiah 24:2a …it will be the same for priest as for people, for the master as for his servant, for the mistress as for her servant….
What strikes me about this chapter is that it is made very clear that those ranks and divisions aren’t going to matter in the end. God’s not going to be impressed with any title or clout I may have earned. In fact, Jesus encourages us repeatedly to love beyond those titles, hierarchies, and boundaries.
Isaiah 24:2b …for seller as for buyer, for borrower as for lender, for debtor as for creditor.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that what’s important to You is how well we love and care for each other, not what title or ranking we achieve. Help me to seek to love everyone I meet in the same fierce, compassionate way that You love me. Amen.
Isaiah 24:3 The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered. The Lord has spoken this word.
Have a blessed day.
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Many lenses…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 23:1 A prophecy against Tyre: Wail, you ships of Tarshish! For Tyre is destroyed and left without house or harbor. From the land of Cyprus word has come to them.
The verb choices in this passage jumped out at me today, probably because my students and I are talking about how authors create mood within a work. These verbs definitely help set a specific mood.
Isaiah 23:2 Be silent, you people of the island and you merchants of Sidon, whom the seafarers have enriched.
Verse 1 includes the verb wail, which means “to give a cry of pain, anguish, or grief.” Verse 2 commands the people to be silent, a command which carries a negative connotation (You are NOT allowed to speak.) Verse 3 bids them to be ashamed, which means “to be embarrassed or guilty because of one’s actions, characteristics, or associations.” Verse 4 promises that they will be in anguish, “severe mental or physical pain or suffering.” Together they paint a very dark picture.
Isaiah 23:4 Be ashamed, Sidon, and you fortress of the sea, for the sea has spoken: “I have neither been in labor nor given birth; I have neither reared sons nor brought up daughters.”
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the many lenses through which we can view Your word. Thank You that as we study Your word, You draw us closer. Thank You. Amen.
Isaiah 23:5 When word comes to Egypt, they will be in anguish at the report from Tyre.
Have a blessed day.
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A firm, secure place…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 22:21 I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the people of Judah. 
This section is talking about a transfer of power and favor. Shebna has lost his focus on the Holy One and is living for himself, taking glory in himself. So God strips Shebna of power and position and transfers that power to Eliakim.
Isaiah 22:22 I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 
In order to help ensure that Eliakim will not travel the same, ill-fated road, He drives Eliakim “like a peg into a firm place”. He, God, is that firm, secure place. It is where we all should rest.
Isaiah 22:23 I will drive him like a peg into a firm place; he will become a seat a of honor for the house of his father.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that I must firmly ground myself if You, like a peg into a firm place, so that I can accomplish Your will. Draw me closer. Amen.
Isaiah 22:24 All the glory of his family will hang on him: its offspring and offshoots—all its lesser vessels, from the bowls to all the jars.
Have a blessed day.
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Hardwiring hope…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 21:1 A prophecy against the Desert by the Sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the southland, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror.
Once again, I am struck by the imagery and wording in this passage. Whirlwinds speak to a force that is unstoppable and outside of human control. The word “sweeping” sounds methodical and indicates cleaning up, getting rid of the detritus.
Isaiah 21:3 At this my body is racked with pain, pangs seize me, like those of a woman in labor; I am staggered by what I hear, I am bewildered by what I see.
Again the choice of imagery here, a woman in labor, speaks to inevitably, of things outside of human control. But both images offer hope. With sweeping up, you are getting rid of, but what’s left is left better than it was. With labor pains, there is definitely pain there, but what is left is new life.
Isaiah 21:4 My heart falters, fear makes me tremble; the twilight I longed for has become a horror to me.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for hardwiring hope so strongly within me that I see it everywhere. Thank You for allowing me to draw closer to You through Your word. Help me to shine Your light. Amen.
Isaiah 21:5 They set the tables, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink! Get up, you officers, oil the shields!
Have a blessed day.
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In God alone…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 20:3 Then the Lord said, “Just as my servant Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot for three years, as a sign and portent against Egypt and Cush….
Commentary caught my attention today with this gem: “Whenever our expectation is in something wrong, or our glory is in something wrong, the LORD will find a way to make those things disappoint us.” That quote put me in mind of Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.”
Isaiah 20:4 …so the king of Assyria will lead away stripped and barefoot the Egyptian captives and Cushite exiles, young and old, with buttocks bared—to Egypt’s shame. 
Here’s the thing: I am utterly—mentally, physically, totally—exhausted. Maybe that’s God’s way of reminding me that I am putting my faith, my expectation, in something that is not Him. Maybe this perpetual exhaustion and frustration is a reminder to turn to Him, to trust Him. Jesus, Help me.
Isaiah 20:5 Those who trusted in Cush and boasted in Egypt will be dismayed and put to shame. 
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. I am so weary of this perpetual exhaustion and the anger and frustration that comes with it. Help me to live Proverbs 3:5-6 in such a way that my faith and expectation are in You alone. Grant me Your rest and Your peace. Amen.
Isaiah 20:6 In that day the people who live on this coast will say, ‘See what has happened to those we relied on, those we fled to for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?’ ”
Have a blessed day.
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It is your choice…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 19:22 The LORD will strike Egypt with a plague; he will strike them and heal them. They will turn to the LORD, and he will respond to their pleas and heal them. (NIV)
Again I am struck in this chapter by the opposing images—destruction and healing. What I think I understand from this is that God is essentially saying, “I will do everything I can to convince you to return to Me. When you return, I will heal you. I want to heal you because you are precious to Me, but it is your choice to return and be healed.”
Isaiah 19:22 The LORD will strike Egypt, and then he will bring healing. For the Egyptians will turn to the LORD, and he will listen to their pleas and heal them. (NLT)
Maybe I’m too optimistic, too hopeful in my interpretation, but I don’t think so. As a parent, I love my children dearly, I want the absolute best for them. It hurts my heart when they make poor choices. I want them to succeed, to be good, kind, merciful, compassionate people. How could God, the ultimate parent, want anything less?
Isaiah 19:22 And the LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the LORD, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them. (ESV)
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the levels of understanding that open up when I read Your word. Thank You for the hope of Your compassion, mercy, and understanding. Help me to love as You love. Draw me closer. Amen.
Isaiah 19:22 After the LORD has punished Egypt, the people will turn to him. Then he will answer their prayers, and the Egyptians will be healed. (CEV)
Have a blessed day.
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The dual nature of God…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 18:4 This is what the LORD says to me: “I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place, like shimmering heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.” (NIV)
Something about this imagery captured my attention. I think it is because the images themselves seem contradictory—heat radiating from the ground on a hot day seems a very negative image. While the shimmering aspect is fascinating to see, the air shimmers because of the intense heat, which carries many negative associations.
Isaiah 18:4 For the LORD has told me this: “I will watch quietly from my dwelling place— as quietly as the heat rises on a summer day, or as the morning dew forms during the harvest.” (NLT)
However, the “cloud of dew in the heat of harvest” seems a much more positive image, a respite, a breather from the baking heat. It puts me in mind of misting stations at theme parks—a welcome relief, a chance to cool off. Are these images addressing the dual nature of God? That He can both bring shimmering heat (judgement) and cooling dew (mercy, compassion, salvation), that both are possible within the same God?
Isaiah 18:4 For this is what the LORD has told me: “I will quietly look from My dwelling place Like dazzling heat in the sunshine, Like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.” (NASB)
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the beautiful language that can be found in Your word. Thank You for the understanding that pondering these images brings. Draw me closer. Amen.
Isaiah 18:4 The LORD said to me, “I will calmly look down from my home above–as calmly as the sun at noon or clouds in the heat of harvest season.” (CEV)
Have a blessed day.