Then I heard the LORD say, "Whom shall I send? Who will be our messenger?"

I answered, "I will go! Send me!" So he told me to go and give the people this message: "No matter how much you listen, you will not understand. No matter how much you look, you will not know what is happening." Then he said to me, "Make the minds of these people dull, their ears deaf, and their eyes blind, so that they cannot see or hear or understand. If they did, they might turn to me and be healed."

I asked, "How long will it be like this, LORD?"

He answered, "Until the cities are ruined and empty – until the houses are uninhabited – until the land itself is a desolate wasteland. I will send the people far away and make the whole land desolate. Even if one person out of ten remains in the land, he too will be destroyed; he will be like the stump of an oak tree that has been cut down."

(The stump represents a new beginning for God’s people.)

Isaiah 6:8-13

God does not hold us responsible for success but for faithfulness. Is faithfulness enough, or do you think your work must be recognized as successful before you feel satisfied in serving the LORD?

The prophet and the missionary did what God asked them to do. They preached God’s Word and trusted in His purposes. You too can be a faithful servant. Do your best and leave the results in the hands of the LORD.

The world crowns success; God crowns faithfulness.

Our Daily Bread – June 19, 2003