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Read Isaiah 30:19-26.

“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” (v. 21).

I am thinking about a young man who was hired to do oil changes in a mechanic’s shop. Excited to be working on cars, he did his work well. When he was caught up on his work, he spent his time first watching, then helping a mechanic. Before long, he was doing minor repairs. A few years later, he was the lead mechanic for a dealership that sold multiple lines of new and used vehicles. He grew in his knowledge, understanding, and abilities involving auto repair.
From the moment of conversion, Christians begin experiencing spiritual growth. We learn a lot about serving God as we read His Word, pray, and listen to Bible-based preaching. Regardless of our strength or maturity, we sometimes face questions or issues in life when we don’t know the answers. In those times, as we seek God’s guidance and will, God leads us.
The Holy Spirit, who lives in every born-again person, seldom uses an audible voice. Instead, He reminds us of what the Bible teaches, what we have learned through preaching, Bible reading, and study. Sometimes we find what seems to be a “new truth” in the Bible when in reality, it has been there all the time. (MDA)

Following Jesus produces spiritual growth and maturity.

Read 1 Samuel 15: 16-23.

“And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (v. 22).

   We often make decisions based upon what our priorities of the moment may be. Sometimes an immediate decision may reflect a momentary crisis or desire that is not in keeping with our long-term goals or intentions. This is often the cause for later hardship in our lives. The compulsive spender often bemoans his inability to save for larger purchases, the impulsive speaker often regrets the damage caused to relationships due to their quick tongue, and the person that has lived their life only for self regrets their loneliness in their latter years.
While obedience should be an automatic response for those serving God, we must recognize that there are times in our lives that it must be an intentional response. The demonstration of priority is often reflected in the promptness and completeness of our response to God. Most Christians usually desire to obey God but often will delay that obedience until a more convenient time or in a more convenient manner for them. They will often offer some type of service (or sacrifice) in place of an immediate complete response. A token type of obedience is often exposed as a heart disobedience by the excuses and justifications surrounding it (think of Cain’s sacrifice) and is not accepted by God as true obedience. (Tim J. Brubeck)

Delayed obedience is disobedience.

Read Isaiah 42:1–4.

“A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth” (v. 3).

   What an incredible prophecy of the coming Messiah! Reading the words of the text made me think of ll Samuel 22:36 and Psalm 18:35, where David’s ode to deliverance from Saul mentions that God’s gentleness had made him great. Paul claims the gentleness of Christ as he entreats the Corinthians (2 Cor. 10:1) and also reminds us that gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit.
Isaiah, then, in inspired vision, sees our Savior coming to seek and to save that which was lost, taking care to not further damage a reed that has been bruised nor to quench the wick that is barely smoldering. He seeks to save, not to destroy. A rebuke, perhaps, to our sometimes imperious observations about the “lost,” especially the backslider. Our tendency to scorn the battered and beaten flies in the face of Christ, Who, while He could declare “woe” on the hypocritical, yet would see in the multitude (Matt. 9:36) those who were fainting and who had been “flayed” by religionists; He would see them and have compassion.
In the gospel, there is an urgency relating to judgment to come and the reaping of what man sows, but there is also time and space to “let our hearts be broken with the things that break the heart of God” (Bob Pierce) and show to the bruised world His compassion. (Leonard L. Sanky)

“…tell the wanderers of One who can lead them back to the Father.”
— J. Wakefield MacGill