Today’s Reading:
Read Isaiah 5:1-10; 6:1-13; 7:13-14
Assign someone in your family with an “impossible” task. Tell them they are responsible for accomplishing this task even though you know – and they know- the task is impossible. (For example, ask one of your kids to physically move your car without having anyone drive it.)
God had called Isaiah to share a very important message with the Israelites. God compared the Israelites and the Promised Land to a beautiful vineyard that should have produced beautiful fruit, but it did not. Isaiah warned the people that destruction was coming because of their disobedience. Isaiah had a vision where he saw the Lord and Isaiah recognized HIs power and might. Isaiah responded to the vision by accepting God’s call on his life when he said, “Here I am. Send me.” (v. 6:8). God’s response told Isaiah that the message he would be telling the Israelites would not be understood or accepted. The prophecy in chapter 6 told the Israelites that they would be chopped down like a tree, left with only a stump. Thankfully, there was hope offered in Isaiah 6:13 when a “holy seed” was promised to come from the stump.
God used Isaiah to communicate a difficult message that unfortunately did not lead to change with the Israelites. The Israelites hearts were hardened, and they did not change and turn back to God. But, again, God offered hope. Isaiah 7:14 promised a Savior named Immanuel which meant God with us. Even though the Israelites did not change when Isaiah challenged them to, God still offered hope and a chance for redemption through Jesus.
Application/Prayer:
Discuss how it felt to be given an “impossible” task. It is frustrating to be asked to do something we know we can’t do, isn’t it? Isaiah faced a similar challenge. However, he was faithful and continued to do what God called him to do, even though it wasn’t easy. Ask God to help you trust Him to do the hard things in life – even if they seem impossible!
July Memory Verse:
“Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.”
Using the daily reading prompts from George H. Guthrie’s Read the Bible for Life, here’s how to use this devotional:
- Bring your Bible! Your kids need to see that everything you are reading to them or learning about comes from an actual Bible!
- Each day starts with a reading prompt. Read the selection as a family. If your kids are readers, encourage them to read along with you.
- After you’ve read the passage, read the short devotional thought that goes along with each passage.
- Prayer and application are important any time we read God’s word! After each devotional, there is a challenge to help apply what your family has read that day.
- There is a reading for six days of the week. The last reading of the week is a Gospel Conversation Prompt to help you connect the reading from the week with God’s plan for salvation.
Other Resources:
July memory verse coloring sheet
July Fill-in the blank activity