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And so it is with you…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 1:4-5 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew a you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
I believe that this sentiment, spoken by God to Jeremiah, is true for all of us. As He is knitting us together in our mothers’ wombs, He infuses in us traits that will help us to fulfill His plan for us. I am an encourager. My oldest sister is a problem solver. She has a gift for zeroing in on how to begin daunting tasks, how to identify and solve problems, how to get things done. She also has a fierce love for others. My middle sister’s gift lies in her ability to normalize the overwhelming. She walks boldly into situations that others can’t even wrap their heads around and says, “These are people. They need love and care. So I’m going to love and care for them. Period.”
Jeremiah 1:6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
Three different people. Three different gifts. But just like Jeremiah, we’ve all struggled at times, feeling overwhelmed and out of our depth. Just like with Jeremiah, God has shown us His love and guidance in the middle of our overwhelm, has reminded us that He is with us, that He’s got us, has helped us to push through. And so it is with you.
Jeremiah 1:7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.”
Lord, Thank You for the way that You uniquely knit each of us, all of Your beloved children, together in our mothers’ wombs, for infusing us even before birth, with traits that allow us to fulfill Your will for our lives. Thank You for being with us and encouraging us, even when Your kingdom work feels a bit overwhelming. Help us to shine Your light for all. Draw us closer. Amen.
Jeremiah 1:8 “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
Have a blessed day.
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Trusting His big picture…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 66:1 This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?”
In the classroom, I am charged with understanding both the big picture—where we’ve been, where we’re going, and how those two intersect—and where we are currently, along with how that fits in with the bigger picture. I used to try to share all of that with students, but they were often so focused on the now that they missed how it fit in as part of the whole. If I can get students to trust that I have a master plan and to do the little, daily steps, usually, eventually, they realize that we’ve been working diligently on the big picture all along.
Isaiah 66:2 “Has not my hand made all these things and so they came into being?” declares the Lord “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.”
Ironically, when I am the student and God is the teacher, I find that I am often just as short-sighted and impatient as my own students when it comes to trusting His big picture and daily plan. It takes a humble and contrite spirit to trust and continue even when the big picture isn’t clear, even when the work of now doesn’t seem relevant. Jesus, Help me.
Isaiah 66:3 …They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations;
Lord, Thank You for showing me that my lack of trust in Your daily plan is my pride and that my lack of trust implies that I think You don’t know what You are doing. Help me to be humble and contrite in spirit, help me to seek You daily, help me to trust You—the master teacher—and to trust Your master plan, even when I don’t understand. Draw me closer. Amen.
Isaiah 66:4 …so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.”
Have a blessed day.
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Before they call…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 65:1 “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’”
The words long suffering and steadfast come to mind as descriptions for God in this chapter. His compassion, even for “those who did not ask, those who did not seek,” is clearly visible. He is a God of love. He has a heart for all.
Isaiah 65:2 “All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations—“
The beginning of this passage sets up the question: If God is so loving, so steadfast, to the obstinate, to those who pursue their own imaginations, what’s He like for those who actively seek Him? Verse 24 provides the answer: “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.”
Isaiah 65:3 “…a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick….”
Lord, Often in my fleshly, human failings, I am the obstinate one, the one who is not seeking, who is pursuing my own imagination instead of pursuing You. Forgive me. Thank You that even in my obstinance, You reveal Yourself to me whenever I seek You. Thank You that even in my failings, I can cling to the promise in verse 24. Help me to be more like You as I try to glorify Your name and comfort Your people. Amen.
Isaiah 65:24 “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.”
Have a blessed day.
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A human BEING…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 64:4 Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
I have struggled, more this semester than most, with my worth as a human BEING instead of a human DOING. As someone who has been a productive citizen for as long as I can remember, I struggle with my value and worth when I am too worn out to DO. And yet God encourages our being, He tells us to “be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
Isaiah 64:6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
Our culture puts a premium on doing. The first question that we often ask strangers is: What do you DO for a living? It just occurred to me to wonder if that has any connection to our pride: What do you do and how can you help me move higher? But God is concerned primarily with our BEING, He acts on behalf of those who WAIT for Him (verse 4), those who aren’t so busy doing that they miss His still, small voice.
Isaiah 64:8 Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
Lord, BEING instead of DOING is something I still struggle with. Thank You for the continued reminder that I need to lay it all at Your feet. Thank You that You love me for who I am and who I am to You and not for anything I do. Help all my doings be aimed to bring You glory and to comfort Your people. Help me to get better at being still in Your presence. Draw me closer. Amen.
Isaiah 64:9 Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord; do not remember our sins forever; Oh, look on us, we pray, for we are all your people.
Have a blessed day.
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A catalyst for digging deeper…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 63:1 Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, proclaiming victory, mighty to save.”
This week the scripture for my church’s daily devotionals is in Luke 15: The Parable of the Lost Sheep, The Parable of the Lost Coin, and The Parable of the Lost Son. All three parables echo this idea in Isaiah 63 of a God who is mighty to save and a people who rebel and grieve His Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 63:8 He said, “Surely they are my people, children who will be true to me”; and so he became their Savior.
And I have found myself of late struggling with how I deal with what I see as rebellious, grievous behavior in others. My anger at the inability of others to act with basic Christian compassion is rebellious and grievous in its own way. It’s not righteous anger from God. It’s not productive. It’s not compassionate. That makes it part of the problem.
Isaiah 63:9 In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
Lord, I feel You calling me to task with this scripture. I can’t combat attitude with attitude. It doesn’t glorify You nor does it help any of Your people. Help me to use my anger as a catalyst for digging deeper so we can get to the root of the issue. Help us all to comfort Your people in compassion and love.  Help our end-goal to be to glorify You always. Draw us closer. Amen.
Isaiah 63:10 Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit….
Have a blessed day.
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Precious…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 62:3 You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.  
One sentence from commentary resonates with me deeply: “We often have only a superficial understanding of how precious we are to God.” This statement feels profoundly true. *I* am precious to God. *You* are precious to God. And yet we continue to miss that fact.
Isaiah 62:5 As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.
Synonyms for precious include: valuable, dear, priceless. The Bible tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) and that we are precious in God’s eyes, and honored, and that He loves us (Isaiah 43:4), but how often do we discount our own value and worth—to Him and in general?
Isaiah 62:6 I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest….
Lord, Thank You that I am precious to You, that You know my name, my story, that You formed my inward parts and knit me together, that You know and care about my pain and my joy. Help me to know my worth to You and in You. Help me to be humble enough to show all Your children their worth to You as well. It’s not a competition. There’s room for all of us in Your kingdom. Draw us closer. Amen.
Isaiah 62:7 …and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.
Have a blessed day.
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He chose all of us…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 61:1a The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor….
As I read this verse, a scene from the movie “Evan Almighty” came to mind. In it, a reporter recounts the changes that Evan has gone through and asks, “How can you be so sure that God chose you?” Evan’s simple, profound response? “He chose all of us.” Jesus is God’s anointed, His one and only Son, but He chose all of us to help proclaim His Good News.
Isaiah 61:1b …He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners….
This chapter helps reinforce my belief in the power of prayer. There is often so little I can do physically to mitigate the suffering of others, but I believe prayer makes a difference. It draws us and others closer to God. It reminds us of His promise to bring beauty from our ashes, to work all things to His glory and our good.
Isaiah 61:2 …to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn….
Lord, Thank You for Your fierce love, for Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for calling us to help participate in Your kingdom work by allowing us to proclaim Your Good News. Thank You for exchanging our ashes for Your beauty, for the power of prayer, and for allowing us to lift each other up to You. Draw us all closer to You. Amen.
Isaiah 61:3 …and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
Have a blessed day.
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The Lord will be your everlasting light…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 60:19 The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.
Lord, Your promises in this chapter bring my heart joy. Thank You for the promise of being my everlasting light and my glory. Help me to separate myself from the things of this world, the things that seem so important but can never bring me Your peace and joy.
Isaiah 60:20 Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.
Lord, I cling to the promise that in Your kingdom, earthly sorrow will be no more. Thank You for that hope and promise, for gathering all my tears in a bottle, for seeing my sorrow and holding me as I grieve earthly losses.
Isaiah 60:21 Then all your people will be righteous and they will possess the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor.
Lord, Help me never to forget that this world is not my home, that You have overcome this world and through You we are more than conquerors, that You can and will bring Your beauty from all our ashes. Help us to hold on to You, even as we struggle. Draw us closer. Give us strength. Amen.
Isaiah 60:22 The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.”
Have a blessed day.
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Thank You, Jesus…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 59:1 Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.
According to the way I understand verses 1 & 2, Isaiah is saying that God CAN save, but our sin separates us from Him, so He chooses not to. This is something I struggle with, and I feel like this disconnect I sense has to do with God before He sends Jesus His Son to earth and God after that act of ultimate compassion.
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.
I struggle believing the God of all creation, the God of compassion, would turn His back on one of His who is suffering for any reason. As a parent, I would never turn my back on my hurting children, never leave them to fend for themselves, even when the disobey, even if their actions caused their suffering. That’s not what parents do. “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” (Matt 7:11).
Isaiah 59:21a “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord….”
Lord, I struggle mightily with things I don’t understand, and suffering is one of those things. One day, when we meet face to face, perhaps it will make sense, but for now I cling to what I know—You are sovereign. You are fiercely loving. You are with us, even in our struggles and suffering, especially then. You are making a way through whatever wilderness we face. You will never leave us nor forsake us. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.
Isaiah 59:21b …“My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.
Have a blessed day.
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God knows our hearts…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 58:6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?”
Isaiah 58:3 has the people saying, basically, “Hey, God, we’re fasting and humbling ourselves over here. Why aren’t You noticing and blessing us?” It brought to mind Matthew 6:1. These people seem to already have their blessing—it’s their pride of having fasted and humbled themselves. Their intentions were to be seen as holy for their actions. It seems the only One who didn’t see their actions as holy was the only One who matters: God.
Isaiah 58:7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
In a recent study of Matthew 6, we discussed the role of intention in seeking and serving God. We talked about the fact that truly only two people know our real intentions—us and God—that it doesn’t matter eternally what others think, that good works can come from selfish motives, that God knows our hearts.
Isaiah 58:8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Lord, It is so easy to get caught up in this world, to “play the game” so that we appear righteous to the world, even if our cores are rotten. I do not want to play the world’s game, Lord. Help me, always, to have a pure heart and eternal motives. Draw me closer to You, always, no matter what the world thinks. Amen.
Isaiah 58:9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
Have a blessed day.