Reading for today
Old Testament: Isaiah 39, 40, 41
New Testament: Revelation 2
Thoughts from today’s reading
Isaiah 39:5-8. King Hezekiah made a mistake in allowing the princes of Babylon to see all that was in his house. When the prophet Isaiah told him his fault and the judgement that would come as a result of it, he accepted it and did not seek the face of God to reverse his mistake. Twice before this Hezekiah had prayed to be delivered from the King of Assyria and to be delivered from death, twice God heard him and answered his prayer. But this time he accepted what was not a good outcome because it would take place in the days of his children and not in his days. We should not only fight and pray for ourselves, but more so for our children and future generations.
Revelation 2:4-7. Jesus Christ reveals to the 7 churches their spiritual health and the course of correction they must take to get back to where they should be. The first and great commandment is to love God, so when we lose out first love we have strayed away from this command to love Him and to love our neighbours as ourselves. What are the things in life that dampen our enthusiasm for God and for helping our fellow man? We must repent of such things while the Lord is giving us the chance to do so.
Prayer
1. Father, may I never grow weary in doing good and seeking your face because you are a God who delights in mercy and in answering my prayers. Lord, I repent of a selfish spirit where I am only thinking about my personal good in my lifetime and not making an investment in the future of my children and others who look up to me. Lord, I pray for my future generations right now, that you will deliver them from any consequences of mistakes I have made which may become a burden to them. As you have helped me in my lifetime, Father may my children experience closeness to you and help from you all their days.
2. Lord, I come before you today and repent of abandoning my first love and doing those works that you require of everyone that is called by your name. Where my zeal for God has diminished in seeking His face, worshipping, praying, studying the scripture and preaching the message of Christ to all men, I ask for mercy to restore me back to that place of fervency. I thank you that by your help I am able to overcome and gain access to the tree of life which you have reserved for me in the paradise of God.