Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Devotion - Tuesday, February 7

Let's get the disclaimer out of the way first:  The classical writings on how persons live out their faith speak of five unique paths.  Among the five, my most comfortable path is the one that involves service.  So, I write of that path often.  Hopefully not to the exclusion of the others, but I need to remember and remind you of this reality.

Isaiah 58 is one of the sections of the bible which motivate me to respond to God in this way.

In this part of the book, the prophet is looking at the rebuilding of Jerusalem.  The warnings of earlier years were not heard; the people suffered and their religious centers were destroyed; now they are back in Jerusalem and have the chance to rebuild.

Isaiah is giving them instructions.  He is talking to them about how to live their faith and follow the instructions of God.  He talks about fasting. And he says:
Is not this the fast that I choose:
   to loose the bonds of injustice,
   to undo the thongs 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 them,
   and not to hide yourself from your own kin? 

While many will measure the depth of one's commitment to God by the hours spent in prayer; some by the fervor of one's convictions; some by out-of-body experiences; Isaiah asks those who would hear his words to be compassionate.  He would tell us to look out for the lonely and the depressed.  He would have us see that we are doing as God requests when we stop thinking of our own selves and consider the dire circumstances under which others are living.

Too many of the reports which I am asked to complete speak of bible study groups or book groups or career choices made by those graduate.  How do we share the wonderful news that the Good News of God is being shared around tables and over meals?  Where do we celebrate the endless ridiculous messages posted on Messenger - all of which have one simple message, "You are important to me"?

This is the fast that the Lord would choose.  

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