Reading for today
Old Testament: Isaiah 15, 16, 17
New Testament: 1 John 2
Thoughts from today’s reading
Isaiah 17:7-11. Everything that we have or are able to create will always be as a result of the brilliance of God who created the whole earth and all that is in it. When we allow our hearts to ascribe the glory to ourselves or to worthless idols which our hands have made, then we provoke judgement where all our efforts will turn to vanity.
1 John 2:15-17. The love of the world is a sign that the love of God in us has diminished. Our desire to satisfy the flesh, the eyes and to boast in our accomplishments in pride sums up the love of this world. Doing the will of God free’s us from the love of the world and the things in the world.
Prayer
1. Lord, we remember you as the God of our salvation and the Rock of our stronghold, without you we can do nothing of eternal value. May our hearts not be enticed by whatever success we have achieved so that we ascribe the glory to ourselves. May we remember that we were created to be vessels that reveal your glory. You are the source and we are the beneficiaries of the source. Thank you Father, now and always in Jesus’ name, amen.
2. Heavenly Father, we come to you today and lay down before you the desire for our own way. We remember that Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, “not my will but your will be done”. Lord, we cry out today, not my will to be recognised and satisfied by things of the world, but your will be done in my life. I receive strength to do the will of God even when it is not pleasant or popular. Lord, you have promised that if we do your will, we shall abide forever while the world passes away. Thank you that we have a much greater reward in choosing you than we could ever get from choosing the world.