Isaiah 58:6-10
“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? 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 them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 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 the Lord will be your rear guard.” Isaiah 58:6-10 (NIV)
This text really speaks to my heart. Isaiah reminds God's people that worship is more than a religious activity. They were fasting, praying, and observing rituals, yet God asked a searching question: What good is your worship if it never changes how you treat people?
The fast God desires is not simply abstaining from food—it is feeding the hungry. It is not just bowing our heads in prayer—it is lifting up those who have been pushed down. It is not merely attending worship—it is becoming the hands and feet of Christ in the world.
When I saw that I was assigned this text, I reread a book my mentor, Rev. Dr. William Sloan Coffin wrote: Credo (highly recommend it). The church addressing social injustice was a passion of Bill’s and thus became a passion of mine. Credo is filled with Bill’s quotes, or as we called them, his Coffinisms. Some favorites to ponder in light of Isaiah’s message: “To show compassion for an individual without showing concern for the structures of society that make him or her an object of compassion is to be sentimental rather than loving.” “We are to feed the people, just as did Jesus.” “In the phrase, ‘Man does not live by bread alone,’ the important word is not bread, but ‘alone.’” “Human rights hardly exhaust the gospel, but they are the at the heart of it.” “Had I but one wish for the churches of America, I think it would be that they come to see the difference between charity and justice. Charity is a matter of personal attributes, justice a matter of public policy. Charity seeks to alleviate the effects of injustice. Justice seeks to eliminate the causes of it.” Amen, Bill, Amen!
Today in church our Hymn of Praise ‘Oh, How Good It Is’ speaks to this text: “So with one voice we’ll sing to the Lord; and with one heart we’ll live out his Word. Till the whole earth sees the Redeemer has come. For He dwells in the presence of his people.”
Yes, the brightest testimony of our faith is often not what we say about God, but how we love the people He places in our path. Thanks be to God!
Questions for Reflection:
- Who has God placed in your path recently?
- How did you respond?
Prayer:
Let us pray: Gracious God, forgive me when my faith becomes comfortable but not compassionate. Open my eyes to see those who are hurting, hungry, lonely, or overlooked. Give me the courage to act with justice, the generosity to share what I have, and the humility to serve without seeking recognition. May my worship continue long after I leave church and may Your light shine through my life to bring hope to others. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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