READ: ISAIAH 1:15-18; 57:15-21; EPHESIANS 2:1-13; 5:25-27

Some people have called the book of Isaiah the Gospel of the Old Testament. At first glance though, you might wonder why. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John start off the New Testament by recounting Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection on earth. But Isaiah starts out with a vision God gave him that points out the sins of the Israelites and pleads with them to return to the Lord. God offers redemption and forgiveness to His people if they would only turn back to Him. Roughly half of the book is like this, then the tone switches and chapter forty begins with the words “‘Comfort, comfort my people,’ says your God” (Isaiah 40:1).

The prophecies and visions in the first part of the book were for Israel when they had turned their back on God and gone after idols. Then the nations of Assyria and Babylon swept down upon Israel and hauled the people off in chains. In the latter half of Isaiah, God sends comfort to His people while they’re in captivity, promising not only that they would one day return to their own land, but that a new heaven and a new earth was being made.

Throughout Isaiah, God gives many promises about the forgiveness of sins and the Messiah He would send to save them. The Israelites didn’t have to wallow in their sins. They could come to God and be washed from their sins. In a way, we’re like the Israelites in the book of Isaiah. We’re in the same situation, but now the Messiah, Jesus, has come! We don’t need to continue in our sins and stay covered in guilt and shame. When we put our trust in Jesus, believing in His death and resurrection, we can be free from those chains and return to God. He loves us with an unending love, and He promises to comfort us and give us peace in His presence. Jesus is waiting to wash away our sins so we can be made new. Then we’ll hear God speaking comfort to us as the gospel does its work in us. • Morgan Mitchell

• Have you ever felt burdened by sin? Have you ever experienced God’s grace and forgiveness comforting you? What was that like? (If you want to dig deeper, read Psalm 32.)

• In what ways are you in need of forgiveness and comfort today? Consider spending some time with Jesus in prayer, confessing any sins that come to mind and resting in His love and grace. Remember, if you’ve put your trust in Jesus, all your sins have been forgiven—past, present, and future. He loves you, and He wants to help you walk in freedom. (Find out more on our "Know Jesus" page.)

“I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.” Isaiah 44:22 (NLT)

READ: ROMANS 6:1-4, 12-14, 20-23; 7:15-25

Nova Anadosha, Warrior of Light, drew her sword and held it ready as the enemy assassin approached. The wide hood of a jet-black cloak concealed the assassin’s face, but Nova could hear a malicious grin in the words spoken to her. “Come on,” the raspy voice said. “Give up. Give in. You know you want to.”

Nova responded with her own grin and gripped her sword tighter. “I don’t think so.”

The assassin suddenly lurched at her, sword whipping through the air, but Nova easily dodged its dark blade. “You’ve given in to me before,” the voice said.

Nova sighed and gave her blade a quick swing through the air, just to feel the weight of it. “Yet here we are again.”

The assassin came at her once more, but Nova was ready. She sidestepped the sword aimed for her heart and twirled around quickly, then brought the hilt of her sword down hard on the assailant’s shoulder. The enemy’s sword clattered to the ground, and after Nova dealt a few more blows, the assassin was down on hands and knees. With the tip of her blade, Nova removed the hood from the assassin’s head. Her own face glared back at her.

Nova stared into the assassin’s filmy eyes. “You’re not who I am anymore. You’re dead.”

The ashen face of the assassin twisted in anger. “Liar!”

Nova shook her head. “You’re the liar. You can’t defeat me. You died the day I was born—the day the Light shined on me. I’m in the Light now, and you have no power over me.” She sheathed her sword. “I just need to hold on to that truth as I wait for the day when you’ll be banished forever. Then I’ll never have to deal with you again.”

Nova turned and walked away, ignoring the assassin’s angry rasps behind her. It wasn’t over yet. She knew the assassin would be back to fight another day. And she would be ready. • Courtney Lasater

• The book of Romans tells us that, though Christians have been saved from sin by Jesus and given new life, we still have a sinful nature living within us. Even though Jesus has freed us from sin’s power, our sinful nature will still urge us to do things that go against who we now are in Jesus—and sometimes we will give in. That’s why we must fight against this nature, remembering that through Jesus we always have the power to turn away from sin. Today’s allegorical story addresses this struggle. In what ways have you struggled against your own sinful nature?

• It’s important to remember that, once we know Jesus, our old sinful nature is not who we are anymore. Finding our identity in Jesus is both an act of resistance to temptation and an act of hope in His forgiveness. Because even when we give in to our sinful nature and do wrong, Jesus offers us forgiveness (1 John 1:9). He has already paid the penalty our sins deserve by dying in our place and rising from the grave. And one day, He will give us new bodies that will be free from the sinful nature we have now (Philippians 3:20-21). How can these promises give us hope when we’re struggling with sin?

• Often, our struggles with sin are hidden from those around us. But Jesus calls us to be in relationship with fellow Christians so we can help each other (Galatians 6:1-2). Who are trusted Christians in your life you can be open and honest with about your struggles? How could you be intentional about encouraging each other, praying for each other, and reminding each other of your new identity in Jesus and of His unending love, power, and forgiveness?

• If you want to dig deeper, read Romans 6–8; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21;Ephesians 2:1-10; 4:22-32; Hebrews 4:14-16; James 1:12-18; 1 John 2:1-2.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. Ephesians 5:8 (NIV)

READ: GENESIS 32:1-12; 1 SAMUEL 30:1-6; HEBREWS 4:14-16

When you are afraid or in distress, where do you go? What do you do? Genesis 32 tells the story of Jacob preparing to see his brother Esau. These twins had a bad past—Jacob cheated Esau and then ran away. Years later, when Jacob heard Esau was on his way to meet him with four hundred men, the passage tells us Jacob was “in great fear and distress” (Genesis 32:7). He was afraid Esau was going to attack him because of their bad past. So what did Jacob do? He prayed! When Jacob was afraid, he went to God.

Later in the Bible, in 1 Samuel 30, we hear about David’s people being attacked while David was away, and many women and children were taken captive. Verse 4 says, “David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.” Then David “was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him,” but verse 6 tells us “David found strength in the LORD his God.” Like Jacob, David went to God when he was distressed. David found his strength in the Lord. The Lord was with David always, as He is with us.

Like Jacob and David, when we are afraid or in distress, whether it be stress about homework, fear of the future, or fear for a sick loved one, we can pray to God. He loves us, and He always wants to help us. Remember, Jesus Himself went to the Father in prayer when He was distressed. On the night before He went to the cross, Jesus was in anguish, and the Father heard His cries and lovingly sent an angel to strengthen Him (Luke 22:39-44). Because of Jesus’s sinless sacrifice, we can have a restored, close relationship with God. If we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can know that God has given us the Holy Spirit to equip us and strengthen us. So we can pray to Him whenever we’re worried or afraid. We can strengthen ourselves in God by spending time with Him through prayer or reading Scripture, and we can thank Him for being the God who hears. • Elizabeth Cooper

• What do you tend to do when you’re stressed out or afraid? Consider taking some time now to talk to God about any fears that come to mind. We can take comfort in knowing He always hears us, and He always cares about us. And when Jesus returns, we will never be distressed again.

• Can you think of a time you went to God when you were afraid and He protected or strengthened you? What was that like?

I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4 (NIV)