Daily Reading // Isaiah 6:1-13
READY // SILENCIO
Take a moment to quiet your mind and prepare your heart for your time with the Lord.
READ // LECTIO
Read the passage above up to three times aloud. Allow yourself to feel the words as they are read.
REFLECT // MEDITATIO
Now direct your focus on the words, phrases concepts or sentences that got your attention. What is God speaking to you today through His word?
Isaiah 6:11-13 11 Then I said, "Lord, how long?" And He answered: "Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate, 12 The LORD has removed men far away, And the forsaken places [are] many in the midst of the land. 13 But yet a tenth [will be] in it, And will return and be for consuming, As a terebinth tree or as an oak, Whose stump [remains] when it is cut down. So the holy seed [shall be] its stump."
The Lord was calling His new prophet, the prophet Isaiah, to speaking on His behalf to the people of Judah. He basically tells Isaiah the people are not going to hear, understand or respond to his message. Isaiah asks how long this will take place. God responds in the verses above. It’s going to be a long, long, long time. And when they do finally respond, it will be only a small number, and it will result in destruction. With this information up front, Isaiah began his nearly 60 year ministry as prophet.
We are driven and motivated by success. I will obey and even sacrifice for a short period of time, as long as there is the promise of success on the other side. Isaiah had no visions of grandeur for his ministry. He wasn’t obeying God because of some ‘carrot’ of success dangled out in front of him. He was obedient to God even though he knew he would never see the results he wanted to see. What motivated him to obey God? Obedience itself. Doing what God has asked of you is an end in itself. Am I willing to obey God in this way?
RESPOND // ORATIO
Pray in response to what the Lord has spoken to you.
Lord, show me where my obedience to you is dependent on anything, even success. Remove the lure of success from my service to you. I will serve You in any way, success or failure.