Which road are you on?

In Isaiah 3, God begins to describe what the judgment against Israel will look like.

Their basic needs won't be provided for (verse 1)
They will be ruled over (verses 2-4, 12)
The people will stand against each other (verses 5-7)
They will lose their possessions (verses 18-23)
Their blessings will be revoked (verse 24)
Their armies will be destroyed (verse 25)

Now, why did all of this happen? Did God have a bad day? Was it just a rough day in Heaven, and God had to blow off some steam?

NO!

God is full of grace and truth. He will be entirely just, but He also gives grace to those who ask for it, and repent of their sin.

The key to understanding this judgement is found in verses 8, and 10.

Isaiah 3:8, "For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the LORD, defying His glorious presence."

Isaiah 3:10, "Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds."

When we look at these verses, we see the reason that God judged Israel. They chose to defy God in their words, and in their actions.

Picture two roads in your mind.

One leads you closer to God, and as you get closer there are more and more blessings. God's Spirit will begin to work in your life more and more, and make you more like Jesus every day.

The other road takes you farther and farther from God. As you distance yourself from His presence, you'll become less like Him, and see less of the fruit. You're setting yourself up for failure if you keep going on this road.

Verse 10 summed it up perfectly. "They shall eat the fruit of their deeds."

Galatians 6:7-8 says it this way, "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."

Israel chose the path that led away from God. That meant leaving His provision, leaving His direction, leaving His blessings, and leaving His protection behind them.

If you read Deuteronomy 28, you'll see where God lays out all of the results of the path that they choose. If they follow Him, blessings. If they decide to turn away from Him, curses. The choice was theirs.

So it's the same for us today. Which path have we chosen? Are we drawing closer to God, or are we fleeing His presence?

Maybe you want to walk towards God, but you feel like you don't know how. I want to challenge you today. Maybe you can only take baby steps, but take those baby steps!! Give your life to Jesus today. Ask Him to save you, to cleanse you of all sin, and to make you new. Get plugged in to your local church. Begin to read your Bible, and pray every day! God will draw you closer.

James 4:8 "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you..."

You just have to take the first step.

Galatians 6:9 "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

Continue on the path that leads you toward God. Even when it gets hard, it's worth it!