Isaiah 40:6-8 (NRSV)
Read Isaiah 40:6-8 on biblegateway.com
Verse 6A voice says, "Cry out!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. Verse 7The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. Verse 8The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever.
Devotion
While we often avoid thinking about our own deaths, we know the reality Isaiah names in these verses. Not one of us will live forever. The work, the joys, the relationships, the accomplishments that so define our deeds and our days will pass away as surely as the generation Isaiah first addressed. That’s simply how it is. What is remarkable is what Isaiah says next: The word of God will stand forever. Being held in God’s sure promise gives us confidence to live amid change and uncertainty. When in your life have you been reminded of God’s enduring love for you?
Prayer
Stir up our hearts, O God, and prepare us to trust that you will hold us forever in your good care. We remember all who are ill, those who are dying and also the precious gift of our own lives. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.