Tuesday
Read Isaiah 58:9b-14
9When you pray, I will answer you. When you call to me, I
will respond.
“If you put an end to oppression, to every
gesture of contempt, and to every evil word; 10if you give food to
the hungry and satisfy those who are in need, then the darkness around you will
turn to the brightness of noon. 11And I will always guide you and
satisfy you with good things. I will keep you strong and well. You will be like
a garden that has plenty of water, like a spring of water that never runs dry. 12Your
people will rebuild what has long been in ruins, building again on the old
foundations. You will be known as the people who rebuilt the walls, who
restored the ruined houses.”
13 The Lord says, “If you treat the Sabbath as sacred and do not
pursue your own interests on that day; if you value my holy day and honour it
by not travelling, working, or talking idly on that day, 14then you
will find the joy that comes from serving me. I will make you honoured all over
the world, and you will enjoy the land I gave to your ancestor, Jacob. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Think
Verse 9 in the NRSV version of the Bible is more dramatic than in the Good
News:
"If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger,
the speaking of evil..."
The yoke is a yoke of slavery; pushing people down. Pointing fingers is playing the blame game -
disrespecting others. Speaking of evil -
is plotting evil things against others; or even dwelling on the evil of others.
Pray
Lord help me not to oppress others with the way I point fingers and speak
evil. Set me free to be a spring of
water that never runs dry.
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