Much of life is directed by the low standards of this world rather than God’s higher standard. The world wants to mold us into their way with advertisements, and worldly pleasures where achievement is defined by lofty incomes, nice cars, or an expensive house instead of vast spiritual assets like faith, hope, and love!

In reading Isaiah 50 through 51:8, the prophet puts forth a challenge to Israel. He extends an invitation for them to listen, sing, and pray so that their hearts will be filled with God’s instructions. This day with God, let us look to the past and see how God has helped the faithful. Then look ahead and see that He will provide and guide so we can know what things are right and we will do the right things.

In doing so, we will gain instruction and our ability to solve problems will multiply. Confidence will be gained for the present and hope for the future because guaranteed is salvation forever. We will be filled with faith, so the Law of God becomes engraved into our hearts.

Within today’s passage, God wants to sustain the weary (verse 50:4). The example of God’s activity pointed to in encouraging us when little of consequence seems to be happening is His help during difficulty. When those against us cause fear or accuse us of something we didn’t do, God will be with us to defend us and help us.

One thought gained from reading today’s passage is that if we pay attention to the world, we become stressed or confused but if we pay attention to God’s Way, we’re prepared for the world. To help pay attention to God’s Way, there are some tools we can use, but we must use them.

Many may have software like excel and word, but do they use it? There could be many uses for software like excel and word to help grow our faith. This software can be used to help organize and retrieve thoughts collected over time. One idea is to organize these thoughts by sorting them into categories of key values. Say for instance, when listening to a sermon and a thought is received from the sermon. We can log this thought in an excel spreadsheet and organize it by a key value like faith, hope, or generosity for example.

There are many ways to get good thoughts to grow our faith and increase our spiritual assets. By observing or listening to others, through music, art, nature, or even through movies. These thoughts are like faith muscles and each build on another much like muscles in the human body are made stronger by exercising with equipment like weights or barbells.

The key to physical exercise is to simply use the equipment we have or get moving. Simply taking a walk in our neighborhood is a great way to keep the body fit. In the same way, starting small with thoughts you log in excel or word is a great way to stay spiritually fit.

This day with You Lord, we practice our faith by reading Your Word. We also step ahead with good works and observe the good works going on around us. We document what we hear, what we see, and what we feel. Help us today God to fix our eyes on the unseen and eternal so we can report on Your way that leads to peace and eternal bliss. Amen.