Today's Scripture
Strength From God – Isaiah 61:1-3
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
Sue's Devotion
What the passage says
Isaiah’s prophecies sometimes have been called “the fifth gospel,” because they are cited and eluded to so many times in the New Testament. Isaiah is mentioned by name much more frequently than any other writing prophet, in part because he describes a suffering servant who offers himself for the sake of others.
(The Message)
The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me
because God anointed me.
He sent me to preach good news to the poor,
heal the heartbroken,
Announce freedom to all captives,
pardon all prisoners.
God sent me to announce the year of his grace—
a celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies—
and to comfort all who mourn,
To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion,
give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes,
Messages of joy instead of news of doom,
a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.
Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness”
planted by God to display his glory.
What does the passage say to me/us?
God wants us to do His work here on earth. He fills us with his Holy Spirit so that we may be filled with the breath of God to study and share his word while following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, as a preacher of the gospel; a healer of the brokenhearted; a deliverer from captivity and condemnation; a comforter; and planter of the church. The scriptures tell us that God is concerned for our heart – a heart of love for Jesus and obedience that responds when God calls us. Are you ready to respond? God knows you and is fully aware of your circumstances.
I pray that you will encounter God with a “ready” heart. I pray that you will reach out to others ready and willing to extend the love of God in any way that you are called! The time to respond to the Lord is “Now”!
Prayer
Heavenly creator of all life and redeemer of our souls. I ask you to search our hearts and fill them with your Holy Spirit. “Renew a right spirit within us.” Give us the courage to say “Yes, Lord” when we are called to share your love at all times. We love you dear God; help us to love others for the transformation of the world.
In Christ’s name, we pray, AMEN
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