Thoughts for the Day

Announce to my people their rebellion...
they ask of me righteous judgements,
they delight to draw near to God.
‘Why do we fast, but you do not see?
Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?’
Look, you serve your own interest on your fast-day,
and oppress all your workers.
Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
and to strike with a wicked fist.......

Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
and to break every yoke?
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 them,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin...?

Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am....

The Lord will guide you continually,
and satisfy your needs in parched places,
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters never fail....

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

In today's reading Isaiah looks at false and true worship. The people cry out to God that He does not hear their prayers and He does not answer them. They complain that they humble themselves and they fast, but still God does not respond. The trouble is they are like the Pharisees in the time of Jesus, who sought to obey every single miniscule law in order to gain credit for themselves. It was a case of doing the right action in exactly the right way. But this is not what God wants, and he exposes the shallowness of their worship, where prayers are made for selfish reason. We have seen the way Jesus was to denounce this attitude in the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax-collector (Luke 18.9-14).

The kind of worship most acceptable to God includes justice for others - giving freedom to the oppressed; feeding the hungry; clothing the poor; and welcoming one's wider family. True worship includes right actions - actions done to help others, rather than for selfish reasons. Then, we put ourselves right with God. The image at the end of this passage is rather wonderful: 'The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.'

Lord God,
help us to spend time this Lent
in reflecting upon our relationship with You.
Do we approach You with a list
of personal requests
that affect only us?
Does our life-style reflect our faith?
Help us to be honest with ourselves,
and draw closer to You,
offering the kind of worship
that is acceptable to You.
Amen.