Today Daily Devotional

Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
— Isaiah 40:16

After discussing God’s incomparable supremacy, Isaiah emphasizes our human insufficiency to please the Lord. Lebanon is known in the Old Testament as a nation with great forests of beautiful trees producing the finest wood. The cedars and junipers of Lebanon were used in the construction of God’s temple and the king’s palace (1 Kings 5-7).But even Lebanon’s great trees were not worthy enough to burn on God’s altar. And Lebanon’s animals were not sufficient for a burnt offering to the Lord. The prophet Micah asked God’s people, similarly, “Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?” Quantity does not impress God. An abundance of offerings cannot buy the Lord’s favor. Human resources are too small and limited to please the sovereign Lord of the universe.Micah asks further, “With what shall I come before the LORD . . . ?”And, by the guidance of the Spirit, the prophet answers: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Lord, you are far greater than we can imagine, and you are beyond anything we can offer. Teach us to honor you by practicing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with you each day. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
— Isaiah 40:15

Here the prophet Isaiah portrays God's superiority over all the nations of the earth. The world’s great economic and military powers are no match for God. Empires rise and fall, but God remains the Sovereign Lord over all. Armies develop weapons and conquer other powers, but then other, stronger armies rise—and fall. In the meantime God remains on the throne of the universe. In poetic language, Isaiah says that all these nations, with all their power, are to God “like a drop in a bucket” or like dust on a set of scales. And islands, with their charm and beauty, are only like fine dust that can blow away in a breeze.God is incomparable in his power. He is unique in his wisdom. He is indisputable in his governing. He is infinitely greater than everything he has created. Nothing compares to God. No one can equal him. In today’s world we have more than 200 nations. Even all of them together cannot compare with God. God is greater than the universe. He is infinitely greater than anything that exists.Despite his greatness, the Lord is the personal God who cares about each one of us. He knows your name. He loves you with an everlasting love and draws you to himself. He has never given up on loving you, and he wants you to have full life with him forever.

Sovereign Lord, humble our hearts before you. Though you rule the universe, you know and love each one of us. Draw us close, and keep us in your never-ending care. Amen.

Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who . . . taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding?
— Isaiah 40:14

One of the pillars of Christian teaching is that God knows all things, understands all things, sees all things, and searches all things. Nothing is too complex for God to understand. There is no area of knowledge in which God needs instruction. God is the righteous judge and does not need someone to interpret the law to instruct him on how to judge. The wisest person doesn’t compare with God. We cannot add anything to God because he is perfect in himself.We cannot tell God anything that he does not already know. No one has had to teach God wisdom because he is the source of all wisdom. No one has needed to shed the light of understanding on him because he discerns all things with perfect clarity.God's wisdom is evident in the work of creation. He made everything with a definite purpose, for his glory and for our good.God’s wisdom can be seen in both the macrocosm and the microuniverse. We see God’s wisdom in the stars and in a drop of dew. We see his handiwork in the formation of the human body and in the complexity of a tender flower.God is the counselor par excellence. He is the just judge. He is wisdom itself personified. Hallelujah!

All-wise God, deepen our awe of you. Teach our hearts to trust your judgments, rejoice in your creation, and rest in your knowledge that guides all things for your glory. In Jesus, Amen.

Who can fathom the Spirit of the LORD, or instruct the LORD as his counselor?
— Isaiah 40:13

Continuing with the description of the incomparable majesty of God, Isaiah highlights the fact that the Spirit of the Lord cannot be fully understood. There is no wisdom or knowledge higher than the Lord’s. No one else has greater wisdom. God is all-powerful, so he is not dependent on another being. God holds all knowledge, so he knows everything, sees all things, and can search all things, even to the depths of our being.God is the guiding light itself, so he cannot be guided. God is the light of truth itself, so he needs no one to teach him. He knows all things, so there is not an unknown way for him to be guided by another. God is the way itself. God knows all that is revealed and all that is hidden. For him, the unknown is nonexistent. God is not surprised by anything. Nor is he helped by anyone.God is the one who helps us. God is the one who guides us. God is the one who carries us. God is the one who gives us life and breath and everything else, for in him we live and move and have our being.From the Lord our God comes every good gift. In him we have all that we need to live a full, abundant life (John 10:10).

All-wise God, you need no teacher and depend on no one. Carry us in your strength, fill us with your truth, and supply every good gift we need for life. In Jesus, Amen.

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
— Isaiah 40:12

From this section of Isaiah 40 to its end, the prophet asks rhetorical questions that highlight God’s amazing power, ability, and majesty over all things. In relation to creation, knowledge, nations, and rulers, nothing and no one compares with God.For example, who is able to measure the waters of the earth in just the hollow of his hand? Think of all the oceans, lakes, rivers, and other waters on this earth. To the Lord these are smaller than the hollow in the palm of his hand!Similarly, the span of the Lord’s fingers can mark off the heavens. Scientists say that the universe is more than 93 billion light years in diameter. This means that if we flew at the speed of light, it would take us more than 93 billion years to go from one end of the universe to the other. And yet God can measure that mind-boggling distance with just the breadth of his hand.What’s more, God can weigh the earth’s mountains and hills on a scale and gather all of the earth’s dust in a basket. With these astonishing descriptions, the prophet Isaiah makes abundantly clear that our God is incomparably great. He is the creator of the universe and the sustainer of his work of creation. There is no one like him. He alone is God. And this God is our Lord and Savior!

Majestic Lord, you measure the oceans, the heavens, the mountains, and more as if they are small things. Fill us with awe at your greatness. Sustain our faith, we pray, and remind us that you are our Savior. Amen.