Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Jesus Christ Who Transforms
Isaiah 58
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. – Isaiah 58:11
Devotion
In this scripture portion, the prophet Isaiah is directed by the Lord to teach the house of Jacob, the Israelites, the true meaning of worship. In Verse 1 and 2, the Lord tasks Isaiah with declaring to the Israelites that they are living in sin and have forsaken the commandments of God. They were so focused on religious rituals, such as going to the temple every day, fasting, and listening to Scripture readings that they began to overlook the true intent of worship. Despite their pious lifestyle, they failed to have a true relationship with God. The Israelites were frustrated with God and even questioned God for not acknowledging their acts of piety.
Through Isaiah, God calls out the Israelites for their wickedness even during times of fasting. They were essentially fasting to appear righteous rather than to draw closer to God. He reveals to His people that their faith is empty, and their worship is meaningless if their only motive is to seek recognition. God explicitly states that He wants our worship not just to be for our own personal benefit, but to be beneficial to others through our acts of kindness, charity, justice, and generosity. True worship that is holy and pleasing to God involves positively impacting the lives of others. If our worship bears fruit for the glory of God’s kingdom, then God will draw near to us and will be attentive to our every need.
Lastly, in Verses 13 and 14, the Lord reminds His people to keep the Sabbath day holy. When God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, one of His commandments was to “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8) We must set apart a day of rest each week to refresh us spiritually and physically. In today’s world, where “time is money,” we must remember to prioritize our time with God and not let the world deter us from drawing closer to Him. We should work and work hard, but keep in mind that a healthy work ethic involves setting boundaries. Our work should never consume us to the point where we feel as though we do not have time to spend time in prayer and reading the Word. Our goal should always be to glorify God in all that we set out to do. When we spend time with the Lord, He will pour out all the wisdom and revelation we need to get through all the challenges that we face in this world.
Through Isaiah, God calls out the Israelites for their wickedness even during times of fasting. They were essentially fasting to appear righteous rather than to draw closer to God. He reveals to His people that their faith is empty, and their worship is meaningless if their only motive is to seek recognition. God explicitly states that He wants our worship not just to be for our own personal benefit, but to be beneficial to others through our acts of kindness, charity, justice, and generosity. True worship that is holy and pleasing to God involves positively impacting the lives of others. If our worship bears fruit for the glory of God’s kingdom, then God will draw near to us and will be attentive to our every need.
Lastly, in Verses 13 and 14, the Lord reminds His people to keep the Sabbath day holy. When God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, one of His commandments was to “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8) We must set apart a day of rest each week to refresh us spiritually and physically. In today’s world, where “time is money,” we must remember to prioritize our time with God and not let the world deter us from drawing closer to Him. We should work and work hard, but keep in mind that a healthy work ethic involves setting boundaries. Our work should never consume us to the point where we feel as though we do not have time to spend time in prayer and reading the Word. Our goal should always be to glorify God in all that we set out to do. When we spend time with the Lord, He will pour out all the wisdom and revelation we need to get through all the challenges that we face in this world.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we are so thankful to You for teaching us the true meaning of fasting. We pray that you lead and guide us to be a light unto others in this world and help us to satisfy the needs of the oppressed. We ask that you prevent all things that hinder us from keeping the Lord’s holy day honorable and to use our time wisely so that we may be strengthened in faith. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Thought for the Day
Are we fasting as the Lord intends? Are we honoring the Lord by keeping the Sabbath day holy? When we help relieve others’ burdens, God will provide us relief from our own burdens. When we gather as a faith community each Sunday, we can truly reflect on the ways in which God is working in our lives without the stress of our everyday activities.
Heavenly Father, we are so thankful to You for teaching us the true meaning of fasting. We pray that you lead and guide us to be a light unto others in this world and help us to satisfy the needs of the oppressed. We ask that you prevent all things that hinder us from keeping the Lord’s holy day honorable and to use our time wisely so that we may be strengthened in faith. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Thought for the Day
Are we fasting as the Lord intends? Are we honoring the Lord by keeping the Sabbath day holy? When we help relieve others’ burdens, God will provide us relief from our own burdens. When we gather as a faith community each Sunday, we can truly reflect on the ways in which God is working in our lives without the stress of our everyday activities.
Gini Thomas
Mar Thoma Church of Staten Island
Mar Thoma Church of Staten Island