Clean Hands, Pure Heart

Posted by Karah

Pause

Look over the last few devotions, recalling what you’ve learned about God’s justice. Spend some time praising God for who He is—just, always right, always good.

Read Isaiah 1:16-18 and consider the questions that follow:

“Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil. Learn to do what is good. Seek justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause. “Come, let us discuss this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will be like wool.

—Isaiah 1:16-18

Where do you see God’s desire to fight injustice in this verse? Underline any words or phrases that highlight how you should respond to injustice.

According to this passage, what is God’s attitude toward sin?

God called His rebellious children to repent of their sin and return to Him so they could live lives full of His compassion and justice. How has He done the same in your life?

Respond

• Thank God for His compassion toward you and His gift of salvation in Jesus. Ask Him to help you see others through the lens of His love and compassion.

• Take a hard look at yourself. Are there any areas of your faith where you’re just going through the motions, looking good on the outside, but rife with sin on the inside? Admit them to God today and ask Him to make you as white as snow.

• For further study on God’s love for the defenseless, read Jeremiah 7:5-7, 22:3; Zechariah 7:10; Matthew 23:23, 25:31-46; and James 1:27.

Behind the Story

Isaiah was a prophet in Jerusalem around 700 B.C. He lived in a time when the Israelites had turned their back on the Lord. While they went through the motions and rituals of their faith, their hearts were far from God. He called this corrupt, rebellious people to repent and return to Him and His ways. Today’s passage stresses an important truth: God doesn’t care how good we look on the outside or the things we do. He cares about our hearts and how we live out the ordinary days of our lives.

The Point

If you’re a Christian, God has called you to a new way of life characterized by His compassion and love, especially in our treatment of the defenseless, poor, and forgotten.

 

Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest Alumni and Friends, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Weekly Devotions