Isaiah 58........

Isaiah 58

True Fasting

 2 For day after day they seek me out;
       they seem eager to know my ways,
       as if they were a nation that does what is right
       and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
       They ask me for just decisions
       and seem eager for God to come near them.

This is me. "Seems eager" to know His Ways. "Seems eager to come near". The "seems" needs to be turned into an action word.

 3 'Why have we fasted,' they say,
       'and you have not seen it?
       Why have we humbled ourselves,
       and you have not noticed?'
       "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
       and exploit all your workers.

Oh yeah. Me. "Well Lord, I do xyz and didn't you see"? Like He doesn't SEE everything. Sometimes I am so dumb.

 4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
       and in striking each other with wicked fists.
       You cannot fast as you do today
       and expect your voice to be heard on high.

I don't know what "quarreling and strife or wicked fists" is but I will tell you my 'fasting' will get the same results. Because its not good.

 5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
       only a day for a man to humble himself?
       Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed
       and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?
       Is that what you call a fast,
       a day acceptable to the LORD ?

For me God is saying "stop putting on a show and get real, knock off all the drama, and LISTEN to me"

 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?

This is a huge verse. I 'fast' for silly stuff (oh it may seem big to me, but compared to verse 6? SILLY STUFF) and He is showing me that He is SO much more...........

 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 him,
       and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Hmmmmmm wow. No where do I see anything like what the 'world' tells me. No where in this verse does it say...."volunteer for this program, sign up to do this on Sunday, give X amount of money" It says........be ready, spot on. Be ready at any SECOND to give.

 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.

I love the word "then"..........

 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
       you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
       "If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
       with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

 10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
       and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
       then your light will rise in the darkness,
       and your night will become like the noonday.

God says "ok, PAY ATTENTION........Verses 1-7, and now 8-12 He shows us our reward. It's all written down for me. How simple duh.

 11 The LORD will guide you always;
       he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
       and will strengthen your frame.
       You will be like a well-watered garden,
       like a spring whose waters never fail.

 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
       and will raise up the age-old foundations;
       you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
       Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

 13 "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
       and from doing as you please on my holy day,
       if you call the Sabbath a delight
       and the LORD's holy day honorable,
       and if you honor it by not going your own way
       and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,

 14 then you will find your joy in the LORD,
       and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land
       and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob."
       The mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Ok........."IF you keep your feet from breaking Sabbath". That's huge. Understand this.........for 40+ years I have been conditioned, I have chosen, I have lived for Saturdays. I work on Saturdays (big money days) I do big projects on Saturdays. My kids play sports on Saturdays.................I do not honor "THE Sabbath". I do not honor it and the only "delight" in it is for myself. Not to honor or please God. I do what I want, go my own way.........I totally thumb my nose at God, and His Sabbath.......

It's no wonder I am in the condition, I am in.

Footnotes:

1. Isaiah 58:8 Or your righteous One

07:35 - Friday, July 18, 2008 - post comment

Isaiah

Yes, this is exactly where I am and one very big sore point. Thank you for posting this...time to make some very big changes!
Cath

Anonymous - 08:55 - Friday, July 18, 2008

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