Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.
Devotional Thoughts
By David Wilkerson
In Isaiah 51, the Lord delivers a powerful message to all who pursue righteousness. He declares, “Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek the Lord” (51:1). A few verses later, he again calls to those “who know righteousness, you people in whose heart is My law” (51:7). When Isaiah delivered this message, his immediate audience was Israel, yet God directs this call to every devoted believer today — everyone who would pursue Jesus with a greater passion. Later God addresses his hearers as “you afflicted, and drunk but not with wine” (51:21).
At the time Isaiah prophesied, Israel was enslaved by Babylon and God wanted his precious people to know he recognized their plight. Likewise, today, he is addressing every Christian who has become captive to some form of bondage. This bondage may be mental, physical or spiritual — it does not matter to God. His eye is on every saint who staggers under the weight of an awful burden and he gives them this word:
“Do not think for a moment that this weight has come upon you as a result of sin. On the contrary, you are under a direct attack from Satan. The enemy of your soul has accused and tormented you and now, like a person who is drunk on wine, you are woozy from the effect. You have been blindsided by the devil but I want your ear because I have a word to speak to you.”
If you are enduring a dark night of the soul, weighed down by sinful chains or sitting on an ash heap of perceived failure, God has a message just for you: “See, I have taken out of your hand the cup of trembling … But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you” (51:22-23).
The Lord is saying, “I am here to plead your cause, to intervene for you. I will take from you the cup of fear that is plaguing your life and place it in the hands of those who oppress you. I will not allow this harassment to continue.”