Chapter 54 starts off with a verse that I clung to during my single days,
For your Maker is your bridegroom, his name, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! (v. 5)The truth is that even though I've been married for nearly 20 years, God is still my Husband. He's the One who's "tenderly caring" for me (v. 8); whose "love won't walk away" from me (v. 10). Eric is a wonderful husband, but we still have our less-than-lovely moments. Eric is a picture of God to me, but God alone is the perfect Husband. That really takes the pressure off both of us!
Much more on my mind are dear friends, that I've walked through life with, who must cling to this verse in different circumstances than mine. The woman whose husband cheated and left; the single woman who is making big decisions on her own; the woman whose husband has become disabled and their lives are turned upside down; the woman who married later in life and is unable to have children because of health issues. Is this truth the same for them? Is God their Husband - tenderly caring for them and loving them? If this verse is God's Word, then it must hold true regardless of any of our circumstances.
Chapter 58 also got to me. It seems to describe some things that I've recently observed in some local churches that we must take warning from,
They're busy, busy, busy at worship, and love studying all about me. (v. 2)In verse 2, God points the finger at those of us who spiritually deceive ourselves by calling our busyness by the term, "ministry". We go to Bible studies, small groups, church, choir rehearsals, serve in Sunday school, take meals to people, etc. and have the audacity to say that our lives are full of ministry, doing the right things for God, and worship (Romans 12:1). Notice that God even points our propensity to love doing Bible studies about Him, but not actually loving Him. Sigh.
They ask me, 'What's the right thing to do?' and loving having me on their side, but they also complain, 'Why do we fast and you don't look our way? Why do we humble ourselves and you don't even notice?'In verses 3-4, God directly addresses our bad habit of talking about how we need to know the will of God, that we just need to know the right thing to do. The supposition being that if we just knew what God wanted us to do, we'd be happy to do it in obedience to Him. God clearly tells us in verses 7-14 what He wants us to do. He further clarifies this in the New Testament, especially in the greatest commandments and great commission. Yet, we still sit around frozen in our supposed ignorance because we've decided that God's will for our lives is just so difficult to figure out.
Well, here's why [God doesn't notice your fasting]:
The bottom line on your 'fast days' is profit....You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight...The kind of fasting you do won't get your prayers off the ground. Do you think this is the kind of fast day I'm after: a day to show off humility? (58:3-4)Then, God once again clearly appeals to our misguided attempts at fasting. He basically calls us out on our selfish motives - we fast for our own profit and to show off our humility. Wow, that's harsh. But, often true. In fact, I recently saw a church email announcing that the leadership was fasting so that God would provide a whole list of personal requests. God tells us what kind of fast He's after in verses 6 -9 and it doesn't include anything for personal gain.
I think I stepped up on my soapbox. I'll get down now so that I can take the warnings of Isaiah 58 personally and ask the questions that God has posed to me today:
- Are you busy at your ministry or seeking to worship Me?
- Are you loving Me by obeying what I've asked you to do? Or are you looking for the "grand call" on your life that lets you escape the everyday, ordinary ways to love the people I've put in your life?
- Are you fasting and praying to get what you want or to please Me?
These verses are piercing, but incredibly hopeful. And God has already told me what's on the other side of this surgery on my heart:
Then you'll be free to enjoy God! Oh, I'll make you ride high and soar above it all....Yes! God says so! (58:14)
4 comments:
Don't faint that I'm commenting. I have a moment alone to share a thought on today's reading, during our marathon road trip. :)
Staci - I was also struck by the same verse about busyness; how we justify it as Christians, just as our society seems to esteem it. To piggyback on 58:2, my spirit was convicted when I read 58:6-9,especially,
"What I'm interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families."
Ouch! No mention of joining more Bible Studies or sitting on committees, or reading more inspirational books to help me meditate more. Or discussing the hypotheticals with others more. Or teaching my children merely by words, not actions. My hands and my feet have not often been His hands and His feet, as they should.
Lord, let me seek out opportunities to share Your grace with those around me, those who don't give back to me, those who I am not necessarily comfortable being around. Let me not wait for the perfect scenario or circumstance, but show You my belief by my obedience.
Oops! I didn't mean to be anonymous! It was me. Stacey - with an -ey. :)
Um, yeah, I thought these were the "comfort" chapters...there's a lot of conviction here. Thanks, Staci, for stating the dirty little secret about Christians. Often, we are so completely self-absorbed, trying to do the "right" things, that we miss God. We use our so-called religion and good things like Bible studies to avoid doing what God requires of us.
I pray that I won't be too busy, busy, busy to love those whom God has put in my path - whether they're easy or difficult to love, to serve those in need, and to give of myself out of love for my Lord, not out of what I think I'll receive.
"I don't think the way you think. The way you work isn't the way I work." God's Decree. (55:8)
A good reminder for me today to be on God's agenda, not own comfortable one.
Glad you're back, Stacey. I've missed you on here!!
Isaiah 55 ~ God's Word will not come back empty-handed. Not a mystical thing. Not a guarantee all will be well. But the Living Word showing up. Keep thinking about that Socrates quote that the unexamined life is not worth living. I mean, every day, I listen to myself and those around me saying stuff like things are going to work out, maybe get better. Maybe not. But this is true, God's Word will not come back empty-Handed.
Post a Comment