Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

Isaiah 30:18

The Lord longs to be gracious and is full of compassion when He hears our cry for help. (Isaiah 30:18) I often find myself straying from the ways of the Lord. It gives me great comfort to know that He longs for me to cry out to Him so He can redirect my path. Isaiah 28 and 29 describes the six “woes” that we all fall into that take us off course. The first “woe” is written to Ephraim, the northern kingdom of Israel. History tells us that the people of Samaria, the capital city, were given over to the love of fleshly pleasures. With each of the warnings, Isaiah shows a way of escape. The other “woes” were meaningless, empty, religious rituals, hidden evil deeds, rebellion, arrogance, and misplaced confidence. When we fall into any of these traps, Isaiah gives us comfort by saying, Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying this is the way; walk in it. (Isaiah 30:21)

Do you need direction in your life? Check out the six “woes” listed in Isaiah 28 and 29. Are you pursuing God or are you pursuing the world?

Do you find yourself engaged in empty religious ritual, or are you growing more and more in love and in a relationship with Christ? The Lord longs to be gracious to you, and He is a just God. He seeks to direct your path. When you find yourself in need of direction, ask Him where you have gotten off track and He will show you the way.

Heavenly Father,

I have been struggling to find my way. I am in need of direction in my life. I invite the light of Christ to show me where I am off course and to give me the confidence that You are here.

In Jesus’ name, Amen