God's Holy Fire: 'Where Is God?'

Saturday, July 11, 2026

Then [the Lord's people] remembered the old days, the days of Moses, God's servant: "Where is he who brought the shepherds of his flock up and out of the sea? And what happened to the One who set his Holy Spirit within them?"
— Isaiah 63:11 MSG

Key Thought

In their rebellion against God, the Lord's people forgot that they were the ones who had left him rather than him abandoning them. They wondered why the power and influence of the Holy Spirit weren't present in the life of their community and in their nation when they, in fact, had grieved and opposed the Spirit of the Living God. God's Spirit will not abandon us, but we can grieve the Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:30), quench his influence and presence (1 Thessalonians 5:19-20), and resist his influence and teaching (Acts 7:51). The yearning we feel for God's presence in us through the Holy Spirit is a good thing. That longing reminds us of our need to return to God!

Today's Prayer

Loving Father, the holy and Almighty God, my soul yearns for your presence. I need your guidance. And I recognize that when I have been unwilling to listen for your voice, I have separated myself from the influence of your presence and have only caused myself grief. Please forgive me. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

Illustration

Illustration of Isaiah 63:11 MSG — "Where is he who brought the shepherds of his flock up and out of the sea? And what happened to the One who set his Holy Spirit within them?"

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Saturday, July 11, 2026

Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'Pleasure in All He Has Made' (Ps. 104:24,)
"O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. ... May the glory of the Lord continue forever! The Lord takes..."
Spiritual Warfare
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
'The Lord Lifts Up His People'
"The Lord gives sight to the blind. The Lord lifts up people who are in trouble. The Lord loves those who do right. The Lord protects the foreigners......"
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Morning Thought: Leviticus 13:13
"Strange enough this regulation appears, yet there was wisdom in it, for the throwing out of the disease proved that the constitution was sound. This....."
Today's Verse
A daily devotional featuring a Bible verse, thought and prayer.
John 3:20-21
"Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the...."

About This Devotional

God's Holy Fire is a daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Thoughts and Prayer for God's Holy Fire are written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked MESSAGE are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

More God's Holy Fire

Translations