Devotion:
Read Isaiah 59:1-8.
The Old Testament Book of Isaiah is one which Jesus, in Luke 4, quotes from Isaiah 61. Within the Book of Isaiah are threads woven which call people back to true worship which is not just empty words and phrases. True worship is also taking care of the widows, the orphans, and any and all who are suffering in poverty and sickness. It is also helping people who are suffering due to others who exercise power irresponsibly. True worship is works of mercy in Christ’s name through acts of compassion and justice.
Do our feet take us on pathways of peace? Years ago, our family went on a tour of a castle in Europe. The tour took us to a room within the castle which was a beautiful Chapel! This chapel was complete with stained glass windows, an ornately carved wooden pulpit, ministers’ chairs and pews. In addition, there was a shining silver service set for the service of communion. Within a few steps, the tour took us downstairs to the place where the prisoners were kept which was directly underneath the chapel! We saw where they were left to starve to death. This was such a striking contrast to realize the place where people worshiped was right above the place where people were starving to death. How could this be? This was not the pathway of peace!
In Isaiah 58, the prophet says that true worship among other things is to “share your bread with the hungry, to bring the homeless poor into your home, and to clothe those who have no clothes.” So, when we read Isaiah 59, the call is to stop sinning in ways of mistreating others. It is a call to do justice and righteousness in the ways that truly relieve the oppression of our neighbors, the people of our community and the people of the world.
As Isaiah 59 begins, he says that God is able to save, but it is our sins which have created the barrier between us and God. It is a call to repent, to turn around from the ways we are living which mistreat others. It is a call to do mercy, act justly and to again walk humbly with God. These are the pathways of peace.
Personal Worship Option:
Merciful God, we have often not heard the cry of the needy. Open our ears to hear and move our feet towards actions of compassion and justice. Amen.
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