Hearing God In Isaiah 58 (Aug 9)

God Desires Us to Be A Blessing

As Isaiah looks at his contemporary
situation, there’s little to commend it.
Empty ritual, meaningless fasts and
broken fellowship mark the spiritual
life of the nation. But Isaiah catches
a glimpse of the Glorious Future
awaiting the people of God. A day
is coming when darkness will be
swept away, affliction will cease and
the glad tidings of salvation shall
be proclaimed throughout Zion.
God has not forsaken His people
& groaning has given way to glory.

Lord, we aspire to Be A Blessing:
Is not this the kind of fasting I have
chosen: to loose the chains of
injustice… to set the oppressed free
and to break every yoke (Isa 58:6).
Share your food with the hungry…
and do not hide from relatives who
need your help. Your salvation will
come like the dawn… Your godliness
will lead you forward… When you
call, the Lord will answer: Yes I am
here, He will quickly reply (v7-9).
If I spend myself… (to) satisfy
the needs of the oppressed, then
my light will rise in the darkness…
Then You will satisfy my needs…
Then I will be like a well-watered
garden, like a spring whose water
never fail (Isa 58:10-11). Amen.

Lord, help me to be disciplined
enough to fast and pray as You
would have me to. For I need
to deny the desires of my flesh
in order to focus on my desire for
more of You. For I want to break
every yoke of oppression in my life
and the lives of others so that we
will see great breakthroughs. Amen.

Lord, I am busy looking for direction
that seems relevant that I miss Your
pointing me to the needs of others.
Lift my eyes to see opportunities
to reflect Your heart. I desperately
long for salvation to come like dawn;
for I have needs to be resolved.
Hear me Lord when I call; for Your
words mean much to me. Let my
responses to You & Your responses
to me, be quick and decisive. Amen.

Lord, Your Word promises that
when we give myself away in Your
cause, we will then find renewal.
Yet I often try to preserve time,
my resources and my energy
rather than being spent for others.
Help me choose generosity & help
me choose to be spent for others.
For when we seek God’s kingdom,
and His righteousness, all these
things will be added to us. Amen.