Isaiah 50 (HCSB)
1 This is what the Lord says:
Where is your mother’s divorce certificate that I used to send her away? Or who were My creditors that I sold you to? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and your mother was put away because of your transgressions.
2 Why was no one there when I came? Why was there no one to answer when I called? Is My hand too short to redeem? Or do I have no power to deliver? Look, I dry up the sea by My rebuke; I turn the rivers into a wilderness; their fish rot because of lack of water and die of thirst.
3 I dress the heavens in black and make sackcloth their clothing.
The Obedient Servant
4 The Lord God has given Me the tongue of those who are instructed to know how to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens Me each morning; He awakens My ear to listen like those being instructed.
5 The Lord God has opened My ear, and I was not rebellious; I did not turn back.
6 I gave My back to those who beat Me, and My cheeks to those who tore out My beard. I did not hide My face from scorn and spitting.
7 The Lord God will help Me; therefore I have not been humiliated; therefore I have set My face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.
8 The One who vindicates Me is near; who will contend with Me? Let us confront each other. Who has a case against Me? Let him come near Me!
9 In truth, the Lord God will help Me; who will condemn Me? Indeed, all of them will wear out like a garment; a moth will devour them.
10 Who among you fears the Lord, listening to the voice of His Servant? Who among you walks in darkness, and has no light? Let him trust in the name of Yahweh; let him lean on his God.
11 Look, all you who kindle a fire, who encircle yourselves with firebrands; walk in the light of your fire and in the firebrands you have lit! This is what you’ll get from My hand: you will lie down in a place of torment.
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN (verse 5): Ever since coming to faith in You, Father, almost a decade ago, now, I have been quite rebellious and failed many times to open my ears and listen to You. Please forgive me, Father, for my rebellious ways. Help me to remember that Your way is better than my own, so me being rebellious towards You is going to cause pain, disappointment, and failure in my life.
PROMISE (verses 10-11): You promise us, Father, that all those who walk in their own light and not Yours will inevitably fail and be riddled with torment. Help me to live and walk in Your light only, Father, so that I may live a righteous life from now on in Your will and Your way.
ATTITUDE (verse 4): Father, help me with my often self-righteous attitude. Help me to have a mindset that focuses on the wisdom You provide more than what the world provides. Continue to be there with me, encouraging me to stay consistent with this amazing quiet time You’ve blessed me with, Father, so that I may always listen to You.
COMMAND (verse 10b): You command us to trust in Your name and to lean on You, Father. Far too often I fail at this simple command due to my own fleshly desires and my often reliance on self. Help me to remember to always trust in You and lean on You through all things, both good and bad, Father.
EXAMPLE (verses 4-10): Jesus is our prime example of how to live a righteous life. Through all the pain, suffering, and torment this world put Him through, He always remained faithful to You, leaned on You, and kept You as His primary focus. The life He lived here on earth, albeit a short one, ended with more hardship than I could even fathom. Yet, He always kept His focus, view, and thoughts on You through it all. Help me to establish this type of faith walk with You, Father. Help me to lean on Your strength and wisdom through all the experiences and trials I have in this life, Father.
*DAILY NOTE: Seeing the example Jesus provided for us for how to walk a life of faithfulness and righteousness on this earth is so amazing. Yes, He was God and man at the same time, but He still had to endure things as a man fully in order to fulfill His sacrificial promise to us. The amount of excruciating pain He endured for me is unfathomable, yet He never gave into the power of His Godly side to stop it. Rather, He fully endured ALL of that on His humanity for me; for everyone. The trials I’ve experienced in this life are miniscule compared to what He went through, yet I so often have failed to remain faithful and lead a righteous life. Thank You for this sacrifice, Father, and thank You for Your never-ending grace and compassion towards me.
*GENERAL NOTE: I always "sandwich" my quiet time with God in prayer and do it in a location that I will not have any distractions so that I can be focused on my quiet time with God. Do not worry about how short or long your journal entries are for that day's quiet time. Just focus on the actual quiet time and relational conversation with God through the Holy Spirit and His Word. The journaling is an enhancement to your quiet time conversation with God, but also to allow you to reflect on things later as you can look back on your journal entries later when you do the chapters again in the future to see how you have grown. See the FAQ for more detail on how I do my quiet time.
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