Daily Devotional • December 1
A Reading from Isaiah 1:1-9
1 The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth,
for the Lord has spoken:
I reared children and brought them up,
but they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox knows its owner
and the donkey its master’s crib,
but Israel does not know;
my people do not understand.
4 Woe, sinful nation,
people laden with iniquity,
offspring who do evil,
children who act corruptly,
who have forsaken the Lord,
who have despised the Holy One of Israel,
who are utterly estranged!
5 Why do you seek further beatings?
Why do you continue to rebel?
The whole head is injured,
and the whole heart faint.
6 From the sole of the foot to the head,
there is no soundness in it,
only bruises and sores
and bleeding wounds;
they have not been drained or bound up
or softened with oil.
7 Your country lies desolate;
your cities are burned with fire;
in your very presence
aliens devour your land;
it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.
8 And daughter Zion is left
like a booth in a vineyard,
like a shelter in a cucumber field,
like a besieged city.
9 If the Lord of hosts
had not left us a few survivors,
we would have been like Sodom
and become like Gomorrah.
Meditation
Have you ever made a slew of destructive decisions, the kind that have palpable, negative consequences? The nation of Judah is in the midst of such turmoil as Isaiah writes this first chapter.
God’s people are rebellious children who do not understand to whom they belong. They have forsaken their Lord. God seems flabbergasted by their perpetual rebellion: “Why do you seek further beatings?” It is as if he is saying, “Haven’t you seen the consequences of your choices? Do you want to injure yourself more?” He describes the people as a bruised and bloodied body.
However, just as one is tempted to despair, verse nine strikes a cord of hope, acknowledging the grace of the Lord of hosts. The Lord, in his abundant grace, left survivors amidst his defiant people. He did not allow them to incur complete destruction even if they deserved it. Psalm 145:8-9 extols his character: “The Lord is gracious and merciful … and his compassion is over all that he has made.” This is still true of God today; in fact, even more mercy has been shown.
When we sit on our couches wondering how we have made our string of bad decisions, the final word is grace — if we would only receive it. The words describing the brokenness of the body of God’s people in verses 5 and 6 were reflected in Christ’s crucifixion. His head was injured. His heart was faint. He took on our bleeding wounds. We are God’s people who have been made into God’s children by adoption through his son.
That kind of grace transforms us. It helps us experience a blessed, Godly sorrow when we miss the mark. It gives us hope amidst our failings. As we await the coming of our Lord, grace is still the final word.
Melissa Amber Patton is a Pittsburgh native, a writer, and an M.Div. student at Trinity Anglican Seminary. She is currently the music leader at Mosaic Anglican Church in Imperial, Pennsylvania and is pursuing ordination with the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh.
♱
Daily Devotional Cycle of Prayer
Today we pray for:
The Diocese of Kisangani – Province de L’Eglise Anglicane Du Congo
The Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida
