Do This

Isaiah 58:6-12 NRSV

“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?  Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,  and your healing shall spring up quickly;  your vindicator shall go before you,  the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.  Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;  you shall cry for help, and he will say, “Here I am.””

The Israelites were too busy in their own ‘me’ issues and were complaint to God about him not answering. But he tells them what a true fast look like. And gives a series of if/then statements. Go back and reread Isaiah 58.

If you do these things you will have Divine License to call upon the Lord: (Verses 8&9.) 

If you feed the hungry, give shelter, clothe the naked, and take care of family. “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear. 

Then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of God will be your rear guard.

The righteousness from your obedience will go before you and God has your back. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer, you will cry for help, and he will say, “Here am I.””

As believers, we are to make a stand as one against unfit social conditions. We must be ready to fight against systemic oppression and support those marginalized by society.

But when you call God, he will answer. We have the divine license to call upon the Lord. Vs 9 haneh Predicator of Existence (10.3b in Hebrew book). We have no English word that this properly translates. So the best we can do in the English is say, “here am I” 

The NLT says, “Yes, I am here, he will quickly reply.” But the Hebrew translation of “Behold Me!” says it better. 

That ‘behold’ is to look upon or to listen to something amazing or unexpected, and in that context it is more of a command. So, for God to say, ‘Behold Me’, I got your back. Gaze upon something so absolutely amazing- Me. Watch me, don’t worry about that.What else could there be that is bigger? NOT A THING. That is something we can hold on to. enough for now.