There are two passages assigned for today!

SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 16
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it– one from the house of David– one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness. [Isaiah 16:5]
In the middle of this section on the humbling of Moab, Isaiah looks ahead to the day when David’s throne will be restored, and it will be characterized by love, faithfulness, justice and righteousness.
Whereas there are many ‘thrones’ (governments) that are characterized by greed, cruelty and injustice, the throne of this “one from the house of David” will be different.
You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end. [Luke 1:31-33]

Jesus is the “one from the house of David”, and the way He rules is definitely different.
He is more concerned about grace than greed, about the poor than about His position.
He cares for the weak, He is angry at those who take advantage of others.
He doesn’t just send His armies to die for Him, He is willing to die for His armies.
According to description of the day of Judgment, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory, gather the nations before Him and separate them according to love, faithfulness, justice and righteousness [Matthew 25:31-33].
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ [Matthew 25:34-36]
In love His throne is established – love for the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned.
These are the things that this king stands for, unlike the thrones of this world.

Isn’t it obvious how Jesus’ followers ought to live, in obedience to their King.
Jesus is absolutely clear as to how we ought to devote our time – not to making money or building nice homes or being comfortable or becoming popular.
In a world driven by selfish priorities, as Jesus’ followers we ought to be constantly looking to those that Jesus is looking to – the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned, etc.
This is what sets His throne apart from every other throne; what makes His kingdom better than any other.

So how will I serve my King today, how will I pursue the things that He pursues?
Is there a sick person I can visit, is there a hungry person I can share a meal with, is there a lonely person I can spend time with, is there a struggling person I can share the load with?

PRAYER:
Lord, radical love is the chief characteristic of Your throne, and therefore ought to be the chief characteristic of my life. Help me today to see the ways I can do the kinds of things you will be looking for on Judgment Day.