My desk at work
Listening to Andy Gullahorn
Isaiah 58
First reaction to reading the passage: Wow. Intense stuff. I feel like I need to say "Whew." Just did actually.
Verses 1-3a
Evidently the Children of Israel had been seeking God but not trying to do righteousness. They were crying out to God. They even fasted. When God did not answer them, they began to question why God was not responding. These people were afflicting their souls while God paid them no attention. They were getting frustrated. Cry, cry, cry to God they did. But follow righteousness they were not willing to do.
Verses 3b-9
God answers them. He said that when they fasted they would seek their own pleasure. They actually oppressed their workers when they did so. Fasting in order to receive something from it. It was pure selfishness masked in religion. God's fast, He said, is the following:
Whoah! God totally punched these people in the face! Here they were, going through the motions of their religion by trying to get God to bless them. He saw right through their selfish motives and told them how terrible they really were.
Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Fasting, God said, is to take care of those that cannot take care of themselves.
I am so terrible at that. I am not involved in anything like that. I mean Lynsey and I pay our tithes out of our gross, and we work for Christian organizations, but that's about it. I am doing nothing directly to help the homeless, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, etc.
This kind of stuff is so closely connected with God's heart. I remember that verse that says true religion is visiting widows, helping orphans, etc.
God's people were using their privileges of knowing God in order to receive more and more blessings from God. This thinking is so backward from Scripture.
My entire life I have been in church, learning about God. I have been a Christian since I was 7. Nearly all of that time has been spent focused on me doing the right things and avoiding evil. These things aren't bad. But they are very incomplete.
Doing the right things, living holy, executing righteousness, is directly connected with helping those who cannot help themselves.
God,
Thank You for Your Word. Forgive me for any and every bit of arrogance I might have because of my position in You. I have spent too little time helping those who cannot help themselves--those people Your heart beats for. Help me understand that righteousness and holiness is helping people with their needs. Give me the courage to do something about it.
Jacob
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