Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?
only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?
6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness[a] will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. ( Isaiah 58)
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness[a] will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. ( Isaiah 58)
I dont really need to say much about this. It speaks for itself. God isnt much interested in whether we gave up chocolate for lent or if we made buns for the old folks home. He wants to know - what are you doing about injustice. How are you setting free the oppressed and the burdened? Are you feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the poor?
Or are we turning away from our own flesh and blood? Our own brothers and sisters, our fellow man.
The promises here are phenomenal. And maybe we need to ask ourselves, if we are not seeing healing and glory and light, if we dont hear the Lord saying Here I Am, then maybe its because we are falling short on the freeing,feeding,sheltering and caring.
Challenging stuff eh?
Will explore this more tomorrow.
Lord Jesus,
Thank you for Your Word which leaves us in no doubt at all that Your priorities are with the poor and the oppressed. Forgive us when we think we can trade with you - forty days of giving up something trivial in return for Your blessings. This Lent help us to radically rethink the way we live so that we are involved less and less in oppression and inequality, in injustice and selfishness. Help us to campaign and to speak out and to stand up wherever and whenever we see people You love being mistreated. Uncover the works of darkness and shine Your light through us. Amen
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