Isaiah 58: 6 – 7
Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked, to cover him; and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
This is the service the Lord prefers; that we would serve our fellows rather than empty and meaningless rituals. God does not call us into works. We are not justified by works. We are justified by love but in that love let us serve our Lord and God by not turning our faces from those in need. It is in our capacity as “His” body that we reach out to the lost and broken. We are His hands in the earth. We have the power in Him to break the bonds which tie people and destroy the yokes which keep people oppressed. What small part can we each play? Let the love of the Lord be seen in the earth, not because you are compelled to out of a sense of duty but rather out of the love that was first given you. Let the love of the Lord that has taken up its residency in your heart flow out to other people. Do not hide the righteousness of the Lord in your heart but rather let your heart express it to others.
