May 18, 2022

Passage Read: Isaiah 55-58
Meditation Verse: 58:2

Thought

God is not mocked, He is not fooled. He knows who truly desires to do His will and who only wants to make a show of obedience. He saw through Israel's "seeking" of Him, their asking for judgments, their fasting. They weren't actually doing what He cared about, but only doing things that looked like they cared. While fasting, they still pursued their own pleasures and we're just as greedy for gain as ever. They asked for judgments but didn't obey them. They drew near to learn from the Lord but didn't do what He commanded.

Application

I cannot fool God. Either I walk in obedience to Him because I desire to honor and obey Him, or else I don't. There are no two ways about it. Obedience is the sign of respect and fear and love. Either I order my days and my ways around Him and His Word, or else I do my own thing, which might overlap with some of God's instructions, because I like some of them, but not all of them. I then am in charge, not the Lord. He sees that clearly, it is foolish of me to try to deny it. He will not be impressed or pleased or in any way deceived. He deserves complete obedience because He is God and He has been good to me far beyond what I deserve, and He knows what is best!