Oct 1 Devo Isaiah 25

Chapter 25
1 LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in
perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long
ago.2 You have made the city a heap of rubble, the fortified town a ruin,
the foreigners’ stronghold a city no more; it will never be rebuilt. 3 Therefore
strong peoples will honor you; cities of ruthless nations will revere
you.4 You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their
distress,a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.For the breath
of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall 5 and like the heat of
the desert. You silence the uproar of foreigners; as heat is reduced by the
shadow of a cloud,so the song of the ruthless is stilled.6 On this mountain
the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines.
7 On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations; 8 he will swallow up death forever.The
Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces;he will remove
his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.9 In that
day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved
us.This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his
salvation.”10 The hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain; but Moab
will be trampled in their land as straw is trampled down in the manure.
11 They will stretch out their hands in it, as swimmers stretch out their
hands to swim.God will bring down their pride despite the cleverness of
their hands.12 He will bring down your high fortified walls and lay them
low; he will bring them down to the ground, to the very dust.

Meditation
1.This simple song expresses the hope of oppressed, exploited and
downtrodden people. Here we read of Israel’s joy at the downfall of
God’s enemies, the end of death itself and God’s final victory.
2.Recall an experience you have had in driving rain, a snowstorm or
some other tough situations in which you knew that God was present
with you.

Personal Note: I had some difficult experiences in the past, and now looking back I see God was present and was with me.  I heard testimonies of God delivering them in the midst of difficulties yesterday's message from brothers and sisters going on mission trips.  God laid a burden in my heart to be sensitive to the challenges that brothers and sisters are facing today.  May God's Words bring hope to everyone.