Today's Verse: Isaiah 1:17

Thursday, January 17, 1952

Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.
— Isaiah 1:17
Now you can listen to Today's Verse on iTunes, Spotify, Echo devices, and more!

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

"As a man, you've got to learn to take care of Yourself!" My dad's words were worn into my heart as he gave me jobs and taught me responsibility as a teenager. We do have to be responsible for our actions and taking care of ourselves. But, part of being blessed and taking care of ourselves - at least as God sees it - is caring for others, sticking up for the disadvantaged, and intervening when someone else is being exploited. After all, we are our "brothers' and sisters' keepers!" What convicts me most about this passage, however, are the three verbs for me to obey: encourage, defend, and plead. I can't sit on the sideline and hope someone else takes care of the needs!

My Prayer...

Remove the heart of selfishness, O God, that sometimes keeps me from caring for the oppressed, abused, forgotten, and broken. Give me your eyes of concern and Jesus' heart of compassion to see the oppressed, fatherless, and widowed. O, Holy Spirit, please stir me to action and help me minister to them. In his name, the Lord, Jesus, the compassionate Christ, I pray. 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."
Do the Right Thing
Illustration of Isaiah 1:17
Inspirational illustration of Isaiah 1:17 -- Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.
Isaiah 1:16-17
Devo: Today's Verse
"Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."
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 1:17 — 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 17, 1952

Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'Speaking in the Spirit' (Ep. 5:15-20)
"Dear Father, Help me speak to my spouse, my family, your church, and the world about you and your grace. Let my heart and my mouth overflow with the...."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Morning Thought: Isaiah 44:3
"When a believer has fallen into a low, sad state of feeling, he often tries to lift himself out of it by chastening himself with dark and doleful..."
Spiritual Warfare
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
'Returning to the Same Sin Hinders Our Prayer'
"[The Lord has said:] "They have returned to the sins of their ancestors. They have refused to listen to me and are worshiping other gods. Israel and....."
God's Holy Fire
A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
'Spiritual House' (1 Pe. 2:4-5)
"As you come to him, the living Stone — rejected by human beings but chosen by God and precious to him — you also, like living stones, are being..."

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