Tag: Isaiah 58

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The Latter Rain: Celebrate Lent – Day 3

8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
    the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
    you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
    the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
Isaiah 58:8-9 RSV

Fridays in Lent are a special day. Each Friday we remember the death of our Lord Jesus on the cross. The heart of learning to ‘celebrate’ Lent, instead of just observing it is seen in how we view the cross. Do we see in the cross of Christ, death or life?

Death is easy to see. The way Jesus was killed was a heinous, murderess act. But we must look upon His ultimate, self-giving act of love, not with sorrow only but with joy and gladness. The cross of Christ is the instrument of Love; it was the greatest act of love possible. God could do nothing greater to prove His love to us.

The prophet Isaiah gives us great insight into how to celebrate Lent with joy and gladness. In chapter 58 he speaks convicting words to God’s people for their false worship through fasting without meaning. They fasted for selfish, self-righteous purposes which God condemns. And all the while they complain that God does not hear them…

‘Why have we fasted, and thou seest it not?
    Why have we humbled ourselves, and thou takest no knowledge of it?’
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,[a]
    and oppress all your workers.
4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
    and to hit with wicked fist.
Fasting like yours this day
    will not make your voice to be heard on high.

Isaiah 58:3-4 RSV

Then the Lord God reveals the fast that he accepts…

“Is not this the fast that I choose:
    to loose the bonds of wickedness,
    to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
    and to break every yoke?
7 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 him,
    and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

Isaiah 58:6-7 RSV

If we wish to please God with our Lenten sacrifices, we must allow them to move us to action, to life-giving acts of love toward others – that is what Jesus did. He continually acted in love toward all humanity. 

When we view the cross of Christ, may we offer our Lenten fasting up to God with joy and gladness in thanksgiving for His breaking the yoke of our sin and setting the captives free. Then, let us go forth and shower the world with the latter rain of God’s love.

“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.”

1 John 3:18 NLT

Shalom,

Pastor Brad

Image credit: https://cradio.org.au/homilies-reflections/archbishop-julian-porteous/embracing-cross-christ/

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Raised From the Ashes: Ash Wednesday

“…if you pour yourself out for the hungry, and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness, and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually,”

Isaiah 58:10-11a

Read Isa. 58:1-12

Lent 2016 Daily Devotions-4

 

Why ashes? Ashes are a reminder of death. All living things eventually end up in ashes. In the Old Testament, God’s people would often put ashes on their head as a sign of sorrow and repentance. They knew that outside of relationship with God, they were dead so they put ashes on their head to show their sorrow at being dead in sin. Early Christians began to practice a day of remembrance called, Ash Wednesday, to mark the beginning of a season of repentance, and preparation for those who were coming into the faith. This season has been handed down to us as the season of Lent.

There’s an old saying, “You are never taller, than when you are on your knees.” This saying captures my hope for the season of Lent, which begins today for those who follow the Western Christian calendar. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, a day devoted to asking God to sanctify our 40-day journey into the heart of Jesus as He becomes our Paschal lamb, our Passover sacrifice. St. Paul said of Jesus, “For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast,” (1 Cor. 5:7). But, how do we keep the feast?

Easter, or Pascha, which means Passover in Greek (as our Eastern Christian brothers call it), is the pinnacle of our faith; its significance to our lives cannot be contemplated too much. Where would we be without the cross? Even still, where would we be without the resurrection? We would be dead in our sins. We would be nothing but ashes. But, Jesus has raised us from the ashes. He conquered death to give us life everlasting.

What Is Lent All About?

The season of Lent calls us to bow down and worship through fasting, prayer and works of mercy, which is the model Jesus gave us for living in His Spirit. Today we bow our heads and mark them with ashes to remind us we are dust, and to dust we will return (Gen 3:19). We also consecrate to God the season of Lent as a time for fasting and prayer, and to do the works of mercy Isaiah tells us helps our spirit rise from the darkness.The 58th chapter of Isaiah was an indictment of the people for their false worship of God. They gathered together and consecrated their fasts, but they didn’t live them out.

The writer of Ecclesiastes says, “When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools.” (Ecc. 5:4).

 What Will You Do?

 What will you do with Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent? If you will bow down and serve the living God, He will, as Isaiah said, “turn your gloom into noonday” Go ahead, give it a try this year. Join me on the journey. I’ll be here everyday talking us both through it. Let’s admit we are dust and to dust we will return… and then, let God raise us from the ashes.

In peace, for a Holy Lent,

Pastor Brad

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Matthew 5:6

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