Scripture: Isaiah 56: 1-7
This is what the Lord says:
“Maintain justice and do what is right,for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.2 Blessed is the one who does this— the person who holds it fast,who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”
3 Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”And let no eunuch complain, “I am only a dry tree.”
4 For this is what the Lord says:
“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant—5 to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters;I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever.6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to minister to him,to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants,all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant—7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer.Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar;for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
Consider:
Don’t we all love a reward? A prize? Don’t we all love to be seen as doing the right thing and recognized for it? Being noticed and rewarded for doing what is right feels good!
In Isaiah 56, God calls God’s people to “maintain justice and do what is right”..it’s a command, an expectation for God’s people. Before any mention of blessing or reward, the Lord speaks of discipline—a deliberate choice to live by God’s law (which as we know is not the law of the land most times). Spiritual discipline is not presented as a burden, but as a pathway to experiencing God’s promised reward.
The passage specifically highlights those who might have experienced being excluded from society—foreigners and eunuchs— and God promises them “a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters” if they hold fast. This shows that reward is not based on status, background, or position, but on faithful devotion to God. God sees the quiet disciplines of worship, obedience, and commitment, and God honors them.
Ultimately, the reward of spiritual discipline is nearness to God. When we choose discipline—seeking God daily, living justly, honoring God with our lives through service and love to others—we are rewarded not only with future blessing, but with present joy and deeper communion with God.
Respond:
Think on one way God might be calling you into deeper spiritual discipline right now (hint…it is often the thing we don’t really want to do because it challenges us). Is it having a hard conversation with someone, face to face, that you’ve been avoiding? Is it spending some time talking to and learning about a group that you don’t agree with? Is it simply spending 5 minutes each day quietly walking and talking HONESTLY with God? Pick one thing to do today that challenges or heightens your sense of spiritual discipline… be brave!!
Pray:
Lord, help me to walk in discipline and faithfulness, trusting that You see my devotion and will share with me Your presence and joy. Amen.
