Isaiah 50: 4-9a (NRSV)
Read Isaiah 50: 4-9a on biblegateway.com
Verse 4The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens- wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. Verse 5The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. Verse 6I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. Verse 7The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; Verse 8he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. Verse 9It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty? All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.
Devotion
The prophet Isaiah speaks about teaching and learning. That's a perfect message for the beginning of fall, with school back in session, and many congregational educational programs kicking off.
This is the perfect time to pray:
Pray that all "useful knowledge would flourish;"
Pray that the Holy Spirit would inspire teachers to continue learning themselves and pass on that love of learning to their students;
Pray that all schools would be places of safety and that violence of all sorts would be stopped at their doors;
Pray for our many ELCA colleges, universities, and seminaries, and for their students and faculty;
Pray for our congregations, that they would be places of great learning, especially meditating on God's Word;
Pray that the "Father of light" would enlighten our minds that we would learn how better to love our neighbors faithfully in Jesus' name.
Prayer
Loving God, may the words of our mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to You, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.