Today's Verse: Isaiah 1:16-17

Thursday, January 5, 1950

Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.
— Isaiah 1:16-17

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Do you find it easy to replace service to those in need with religious rituals? I know I do! But God wants us to not get so caught up in talking about him and celebrating his deeds, that we forget we're suppose to care for others like he does. Whether it is Jesus defining his ministry in Luke 4:18-19 or James talking about the kind of piety that pleases God (Jas. 1:26-27), we must realize true faith is treating others as God would. Today's verse defines what God does and instructs us to live in the same way.

My Prayer...

O Great God of all comfort, open my eyes today to see those who need your love and give me the attentiveness, time, and compassion to serve them. May Jesus' work be seen in my life today. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

4 Related Resources by Heartlight

Isaiah 1:17
Devo: Today's Verse
"Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed."
Isaiah 1:17
Devo: Today's Verse
"Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."
Do the Right Thing
Illustration of Isaiah 1:17
Inspirational illustration of Isaiah 1:17 -- Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.
The Nones
Article by Rubel Shelly
Are you a none? Rubel Shelly reminds us that the group of those who claim none for religion is growing quickly in the U.S. and that they do so because they are are tired of the hypocrisy.

Illustration

Illustration of Isaiah 1:16-17 — Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Thursday, January 5, 1950

God's Holy Fire
A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
'God's Word Comes by the Spirit' (Zc. 7:12)
"[After the return of the people of Judah from Babylon, this is what the Lord said about them,] "They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not hear...."
Daily Wisdom
A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
1 John 1:7
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."
Spiritual Warfare
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
'God Took Pleasure in Adopting Us' (Ep. 1:5)
"God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him....."
A Year with Jesus
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
'Moving Out'
"Dear Faithful Follower, One of the marks of Our — Father, Son, and Spirit's — people has been their acceptance of "moving out," that is,...."

About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

More Today's Verse