Faithful City

DEVOTION

ISAIAH

FAITHFUL CITY

Isa 1:21-26

21 See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her — but now murderers! 22 Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water. 23 Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow's case does not come before them. 24 Therefore the Lord, the LORD Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: "Ah, I will get relief from my foes and avenge myself on my enemies. 25 I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities. 26 I will restore your judges as in days of old, our counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City."

NIV

Historically we know this is what happened, but what about today? Is there any resemblance to our country now? Once our capital city, our country stood as a beacon for the world and now look at us. Once upon a time we actually had justice and righteousness among the people, among the leaders. Now millions of innocent lives are murdered because of the leaders who have become harlots, living for the sake of silver, and gold, power and fame. But what about seeing this in a personal manner. Are we the once faithful who have become a harlot? Have we turned our ways or allowed our ways, the path of God to become diluted? Does our heart rebel? Are we chasing after the bribes of the devil and the gifts of the world? Are we taking a stand for the fatherless and what about the widow? What does our life look like? Can the world tell we are different, that we stand up for Jesus? Has our faithfulness been corrupted by our selfishness? Has our righteousness been replaced with self-righteousness? Do we even rebel against the correction of the Lord? He will purge all our impurities from us. That is what Jesus did on that cross. Our sin is our impurity, he removed all of it. He will restore us, if we give in, if we do not insist on rebelling against him. Sure, we do not go about looking for ways to rebel. But the self within always wants what it wants. How can that be? We should want what God wants, but the self keeps fighting for superiority. Our sin, our impurities have been removed, we are in Christ and he is our righteousness, but still we want. Again it is about this two masters concept, We cannot serve God and serve self. It just does not work, self seems to always win. How can that be? We want to do want is good, but every time we try, self gets in the way. We try not to do that which is not good, but against self gets in the way. How can that be? Sometimes even when we are serving the Lord, it seems self wants the credit. Is that pride that is driving the self? Oh Lord cleanse away the dross! Restore your justice, your judgement as in the days of old, counsel us as in the beginning, then we will be called righteousness, the faithful city. This applies to both our country and our self, we want to be that faithful city.