Good morning! It’s great to be with you in God’s grace today.
If you’ve been in the Pastor’s Workshop a while you know how we work – Thursday is when it all “comes together”. Today we collect all our thoughts, notes, and reflections from our study and prayer. We seek to discern a “message” speaking to our minds and hearts. We also hope and pray this message will speak to the minds and hearts of others as we worship on Sunday.
This week our attention has been focused on the death of George Floyd and the unfolding aftermath of unrest that has swept across our nation and around our world. We have asked, “Where can we hear a word from the Lord?” Our chosen Scripture is from Isaiah 58:6-12. We pray it will open us to God’s truth for these troubled times.
As we read, study, think and pray on this Scripture, the message we each receive will be unique to each of us. The Spirit will speak to your heart helping you to hear what you need to grow in God’s grace.
This is what I’ve heard in this text this week. It is the outline for my sermon on Sunday.
Two weeks ago I thought everything was beginning to “look up”. With Memorial Day, the coming of summer, the opening of the country, and the upcoming launch of the Falcon spacecraft everything was looking good.
Then the killing of George Floyd occurred. It was a spark that ignited societal unrest.
We’ve experienced that unrest in many forms. That unrest witnesses to deeper forces of Racism and Injustice that have been present for generations.
This upheaval compounds with everything else (the Covid virus and Economic downturn) we’ve gone through this Spring. We ask, “Where is some solid footing?” “Where can I find a word from the Lord?”
For me Isaiah 58:6-12 is a word that speaks into our circumstances.
This word is prophetic word. It is a word of Justice and Compassion. It is a word that challenges before it comforts.
This prophetic word speaks to a people who have enjoyed many privileges in their culture. It calls them to be not only a “privileged people” but also a “faithful people”. It outlines what that means as it begins with God saying, “Is this not the fast that I choose?”
The text brings forward “four words”. These words are: Justice, Compassion, Acceptance and Hope. This Scripture calls faithful people to live into these words by helping others who are not experiencing these realities to know these blessings.
The prophet says in verse 6 and verse 9 that the way we do that is by “Removing the Yoke”. The yoke he is talking about is: the Yoke of Injustice (verse 6), the Yoke of Insecurity (verse 6), and the Yoke of Intolerance (verse 9b-10).
As we do that we begin to “raise up the foundations of many generations” (verse 12). It is through the pursuit of Justice (which is sharing in the struggles of others for dignity and equity) and Compassion (which is sharing in the suffering of others for basic human needs) that we will participate in how God “Repairs the Breach” and “Restores Streets to Dwell In” (verse 12).
This brief overview outlines my message. Of course by Sunday it will be “expanded and enriched”.
As you have read Isaiah and meditated on his words what message came to you? As always, put it on paper. Give “voice” to the Word you have heard. The spiritual truth God has shown you will be a light to your path and grow you in God’s grace.
It’s been great to be with you today. I look forward to prayer with you on Saturday and worship on Sunday. In those blessings, I’ll “see you soon”!
Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for the blessing of this day. Thank you for the gift of your Word. Thank you for how your truth challenges us and calls us to grow in your grace and share your love. Use the word of the prophet Isaiah to speak to our hearts. Let it work within us your Holy Heart by your Holy Spirit. Let us live more fully as your witnesses, even in these difficult days. Through Jesus Christ our Lord we pray.