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Daily Devotion: Isaiah 56:6-8 (2)

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Isaiah 56:6-8      "Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD,  to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;  (7)  Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.  (8)  The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him."

We looked at a portion of these verses recently, but there is a thought contained here that I want us to think about.  God said in verse 7, "I will make them joyful in my house of prayer." He went on to say, "... mine house shall be called a house of prayer... " We never hear the House of God being referred to in the Bible as a house of singing or even a house of preaching.  Jesus, speaking to the Scribes and Pharisees, said, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." (Matthew 23:38)  When you contrast the two thoughts concerning the House of God, it is apparent that the elders of the church in Jesus' time had begun to lean to their own understanding rather than seeking the direction of the Lord. They had left behind the words of God in calling His house, the "house of prayer." I confess that my prayer life is not always as strong as it should be, but I do know that I cannot do anything without the help of my Lord.

The singing and preaching in worship services can only be spiritually effective when prayer is made unto the Lord concerning those services.  The preacher cannot preach without first applying himself unto prayer concerning the message. The congregation cannot hear the depth of spirituality in the message without praying for themselves to be able to receive the message. The song service is dry without prayer being sent unto the throne of grace seeking God's help in the message going into the hearts of the people. Yes, there is a reason that God speaks of His House as being "an house of prayer." It behoves us to spend time in prayer unto the Lord, not only on Sundays, but every single day that we live. We truly need the Lord in all our ways.

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