Come Along

Daily Reading:  Isaiah 14

Scripture Focus: And sojourners will join them. (Isaiah 14.1)

Devotional Thought: On my first Fathers Day in Bethel, Ohio, my wife was out of town, seeing about my daughter after the birth of our second grandchild.  I had nowhere to go on Father’s Day, but my new friends Eulas and Marilyn invited me to join them for lunch along with their daughter Jessica.  I felt honored to join them in their family's celebration. 

That is just the way God operates, too.

Isaiah saw a time - after the Babylonian captivity - when the Lord would show compassion on his chosen ones.  Their oppressors would be defeated and they would be returned to their own land.  But, the prophet did not stop there.  He said, "Sojourners will join them."  The land of God's blessing shall be opened to others to join along!

Though this concept had faded from Israel's national psyche - replaced by a haughty spirit of privilege - it had always been the plan of God:

• In the very beginning of Jewish identity, God had told Abraham, "In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12.3).

• When the Israelites fled Egypt, there were others that escaped with them: "And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. A mixed multitude also went up with them who attached themselves to them" (Exodus 12.37-38).

• After the Israelites entered the Promised Land, the Gibeonites, who had been exploited and oppressed themselves, joined with God's people, becoming servants in the duties of worship.  They even received military protection from Israel (Joshua 10).

This is still the way the Lord operates, inviting people to be a part of his Church.  "Whosoever will may come!"

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that though I was once an outsider, you invited me in.  When I had nowhere to go, you said, "Come along with me!"  Oh, how I love you, Lord!  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 51.7-15

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.