Today Daily Devotional

He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
— Isaiah 40:22

Isaiah reminds us that God's reign is not only in heaven but is also established over the entire earth. God rules over everything and everyone. All of the world’s inhabitants—although great in number—cannot be compared to the immensity of God. The Lord is greater than all things.God is sovereign over the heavens and the earth. No empire or nation can compare to his reign. Before the greatness of God, humanity is tiny. No human being can be compared to God. Our strength is mere weakness, while God is all-powerful. Our wisdom is only foolishness, while God’s wisdom is impenetrable. We need to place our trust in him.God is the Creator and sustainer of the universe. He created the world with a purpose and maintains it to fulfill that purpose. In the presence of God’s divine majesty, the best we can do is bow down and worship the Lord in spirit and truth. The Lord of the universe loves and cares for us, and although we are small, he crowns us “with glory and honor.”Have you placed your trust in God? How have you surrendered the desires for your life to him today?

Sovereign Lord of the universe, we are humbled before your majesty. Teach us to trust your wisdom, to yield our desires to you, and to worship you. Amen.

Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
— Isaiah 40:21

Isaiah asks some more rhetorical questions here, and these emphasize that our knowledge of God is not something new or unheard of. Instead it’s a divine revelation from the very beginning, since the creation of the world.God’s people, however, often act as if they are not aware of God. And ignorance of the knowledge of God is a highway to disaster, for we can perish if we do not know God. It is also important to emphasize that we can know God only because he has revealed himself: in creation, in human consciousness, in Scripture, and ultimately in Christ Jesus—all with the help of the Holy Spirit. Because God has revealed himself to us in so many ways, this knowledge is certainly available.We can see God’s handiwork in creation, for the created world speaks eloquently about him. We can see God’s purposes and the good news of his salvation for us in the Scriptures, which are inspired by the Spirit of God. We can see God’s amazing grace in Christ Jesus, the Savior.The God who created and established the universe has everything in his control. He rules over and sustains all things. Therefore we can trust in him.Have you come to know the living God and how much he cares for you? He wants to give you full life so that you can live with him forever.

Lord, thank you for making yourself known to us. Help us to trust in you always. Lead us to grow in faith and to share the good news of your love everywhere. Amen.

A person too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot; they look for a skilled worker to set up an idol that will not topple.
— Isaiah 40:20

As we noted yesterday, idolatry is an offense to God. Today’s text describes how a person who cannot afford to use gold or silver might choose a special kind of wood and then hire a craftsman to carve it into an idol that they can worship.An idol cannot do anything or even support itself, so how can a person trust it? Idols are fragile and lifeless in contrast to the all-powerful, living God. Idols are handmade from some kind of found material in contrast to the Creator God, who is spirit. If a person makes an idol and worships it, that would be like the creator worshiping the creature, revealing the foolishness of idolatry. Why would a person want to worship something that is lesser than they are?The psalmist, after speaking of the uselessness of idols, says, “Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them” (Psalm 115:8).The French reformer and theologian John Calvin said that the human heart is like a factory of idols. We think of our favorite idols, and we bow down before them: money, sex, power, status, leisure, ideals, and more.Let’s be aware of the idols that we can too easily manufacture in our deceitful human hearts. Instead of being foolish, let’s live by the wisdom of God.

Living God, free us from the idols that our hearts can create. Expose every false trust and tear down every lifeless substitute. Guide us to worship you alone and to devote our lives wholly to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it.
— Isaiah 40:19

God's people have always been surrounded by worshipers of idols that represent other gods—and all other gods besides the Lord are false.Sadly, we have always been drawn to worship things other than the one true God. In the past, most idols were made of wood, stone, or precious metals such as silver and gold. But an idol can be anything to which we bow down. An idol can be a material thing, a person, a relationship, an ideal, a philosophy, a status or accomplishment, and more. Idols are a grotesque substitute for God and a crude representation of him. They are human works, not divine works. They are works or ideas forged by human imagination, not by divine guidance.Idols are powerless. An image may have a mouth, but it cannot speak. It cannot see or hear or walk. It cannot feel. Idols are inert and powerless. They can fall and break. To worship an idol is to become like it, without any understanding.Idolatry is a distortion of the worship we are called to offer the Lord in spirit and in truth. Idolatry is an abomination to the Lord. The idea of worshiping something other than God is an offense—a great insult—to the Lord. God cannot be represented by any figure or thing or idea. Let’s be aware of the deception of idolatry. Let’s serve the Lord alone.

Lord, free our hearts from every kind of idol or false god. Teach us to worship you alone—in spirit and in truth, with undivided love and loyalty. Amen.

With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him?
— Isaiah 40:18

Here again Isaiah uses a rhetorical question to highlight the greatness and uniqueness of God. The Lord is incomparable in his greatness. He rules over all creation without needing anyone to guide him. In comparison to the Lord, all nations are insignificant. Our trust, therefore, must be not in human power or governments but in the one who rules from the eternal throne in heaven.Isaiah points out that God is not like any image or idol either. Since ancient times, people have carved or cast images to represent their ideas of gods that they believe have power over them. But the only true God is the Lord, who made heaven and earth. All other gods are false. They know nothing and can do nothing. People’s idols are powerless, but God is all-powerful.God is also incomparable in his care for us. He is the one who provides for us and renews our strength when we are weary.Nothing and no one compares with the Lord. He is the source of life, so his life is not derived from anyone or anything. He does not depend on anyone to rule or to protect himself.God is unique, singular, incomparable. Put your trust in him!

Incomparable Lord, unequaled in power and wisdom, turn our trust from human notions of strength and power to recognize you alone. By your grace and through your Spirit, anchor our hearts in your sovereign care. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.