July 1, 2022 - Isaiah 51:7-8

“Listen to me, you who know right from wrong, you who cherish my law in your hearts. Do not be afraid of people’s scorn, nor fear their insults. For the moth will devour them as it devours clothing. The worm will eat at them as it eats wool. But my righteousness will last forever. My salvation will continue from generation to generation.” Isaiah 51:7-8 NLT

Lord, we want to be ones that you say cherish your laws in our hearts. Give us such a desire to live to bring glory to your name. Help us put your ways above our own desires. As temptations arise that will lead us away from your ways, help us resist and flee. Holy Spirit, be our strength. Increase our desire to say, “no”. Give us the power to overcome when our flesh wants to say yes. Help us learn to recognize when we are heading in a direction that will make it hard to back away from. Lord, we ask this not just in the big things that we struggle with, but also with the things that we might be quick to overlook, such as gossip, pride, telling little white lies, etc. We can so quickly dismiss these type behaviors without even recognizing what we are doing. But you see these types of things and they grieve you. We don’t want any behavior in us that is against your ways. Help us hold ourselves to your standards and be quick to make things right when we fail.

Lord, even when our nonparticipation in certain behaviors will make others uncomfortable or makes us unpopular, give us the courage to stand for righteousness. People’s opinions of us will pass away quickly. They don’t really matter. What matters is how we walk in obedience to all that you ask of us. We want to be people who will stand for righteousness regardless of what it costs us. Lord, you are worthy of any sacrifice we must pay. We want everything we do to be an example of you. Let our behavior draw people to you and your salvation!

In Jesus name, amen.