My Morning with God- Is 41:1 , Is 42:17

Love Is What It Does

My Devotional Reflection

This past Sunday at City Worship Center, we were blessed by the powerful teaching of First Lady Shataun Diggs, Co-Pastor, an extraordinary woman of God whose life reflects the very message she shared.

As she spoke from Isaiah 41:1 and Isaiah 42:17, I could not help but remember something my father Deacon Grover Pickett used to tell me when I was growing up:

“Baby, love is an action word. It’s not what it says — love is what it does.”

And that truth echoed throughout her message.

When God Calls Nations

In Isaiah 41:1, God calls the nations to be silent before Him and to come forward for judgment and understanding. It reminds us that when God speaks, every power, every plan, and every nation must ultimately answer to Him.

Even more remarkable in this passage is the prediction of the coming of Cyrus—a ruler God would raise up long before he was even born. This prophecy reminds us that God’s plans are never accidental. He orchestrates history itself.

Victory was already written into the story.

The Celebration of Victory

God foretold Cyrus’ rise not just as information, but as assurance to His people that He was still in control. Their enemies were not stronger than their God.

Victory belonged to the Lord.

But Isaiah 42:17 gives us a sobering contrast. It speaks about those who trusted in idols—those who placed their faith in things that could not save them. In the end, they would be turned back and put to shame.

The message becomes clear:

Where we place our trust determines where our victory comes from.

The Question That Searches Our Hearts

One of the most powerful takeaways from First Lady Diggs’ message was a question we must ask ourselves daily:

“Does this make me look good… or does this make God look good?”

That question can search every area of our lives—our decisions, our leadership, our service, even our success.

As a nurse navigator, I often help people walk through complicated healthcare systems, guiding them toward resources, answers, and healing. But moments like this remind me that our greatest assignment in life is not to elevate ourselves.

It is to point people to God.

Love That Moves

True love—God’s love—does not sit still.

It moves.

It serves.

It sacrifices.

It obeys.

And when we walk in that kind of love, our lives begin to reflect the very nature of Christ.

So today I leave you with the same question that challenged my heart on Sunday:

Does what I’m doing make me look good… or does it make God look good?

Because when our lives glorify Him, the victories we celebrate will always be the ones that matter most.

Prayer 🙏🏾

Dear heavenly father, we thank you so much for being the powerful great and loving God that you are. Well thankful that you go before us and you see the future that our little minds cannot conceive.. We thank you that you consider us in your day-to-day operations for the kingdom. The fact that you consider your children is what gives us hope guidance and power. We praise you for being a great God that you are. And we ask that you create a clean heart in us and renew a right spirit in us as well. We asked that you let everything that we do point to you and not us . according to your word, if we lift you up, you will draw all men . We give you praise on in glory in Jesus name amen.

With gratitude for the powerful teaching of

First Lady Shataun Diggs, Co-Pastor

City Worship Center