Readings for today: Isaiah 1-4, Psalms 109
What is the will of God for my life? It’s a question I field all the time. I hear it from young and old alike. New believers and mature believers have it in common. We all want to know what God wants from us. Typically, when we ask the question, we want to know something specific. What is God’s will for my family? What is God’s will for my future vocation? What is God’s will as I hit my golden years? What is God’s will with the years I have left? Who should I marry? How many kids should I have? These are the kinds of questions we often associate with “God’s will.” But what if God’s will were bigger and grander than we have ever imagined? What if God’s will had less to do with the actual events of our lives and more to do with the kind of people we become? (Let me hasten to add, I believe His will involves both.) That’s what Isaiah the prophet was wrestling with in the first chapter of his book.
“Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from my sight. Stop doing evil. Learn to do what is good. Pursue justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause…Zion will be redeemed by justice, those who repent, by righteousness.” (Isaiah 1:16-17, 27 CSB)
The people of God were engaged in all the “right” activities. They were bringing all the “right” sacrifices and worshipping at all the “right” seasons. But they were just going through the motions. Their hearts were not in it. They were too busy chasing their own desires and following their own dreams. The reign of King Uzziah was one of great wealth and power and prestige. It was a golden age of sorts. And yet the seeds of Judah’s destruction were already being sown. The people had abandoned their God. They tolerated injustice. Their leaders were corrupt. As a result, God brought judgment upon them. Warfare. Violence. Suffering. Pain. God exposed them to the consequences of their sin with the hope they would return to Him. “Why do you want more beatings? Why do you keep on rebelling? The whole head is hurt, and the whole heart is sick. From the sole of the foot even to the head, no spot is uninjured — wounds, welts, and festering sores not cleansed, bandaged, or soothed with oil.” (Isaiah 1:5-6 CSB)
And what would a return to God look like? It would look like repentance. Confession of sin. Turning from wickedness. Learning to do what was good. Pursuing justice and righteousness. Defending the defenseless. Rising up against the oppressor. In short, it was about seeking God first in their lives and aligning their hearts with His will. Nothing has changed over the centuries. God’s will remains the same yesterday, today, and forever. He has clearly revealed in His Word what He wants for our lives. He wants us to live justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him. He wants us to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. He wants us to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love our neighbors as ourselves. As we do these things, He promises to bring blessing to us and through us to the world.
Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 5-8, Psalms 110