August 12

Isaiah 42:3

“A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.  In faithfulness he will bring forth justice,”

NLT:  He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle.  He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.

Isaiah 54:10

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed.”  Says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

NLT:  “For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain.  My covenant of blessing will never be broken,” says the Lord, who has mercy on you.

Romans 8:26

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

NLT:  And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.  For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for.  But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groaning that cannot be expressed in words.