- From Isaiah 58
Isaiah was thought to be kind of a crazy man. He was a zealot, a manic-obsessive street preacher that was considered a byword to the elites of his day. His book is very lengthy, by biblical standards, and it's chock full of warnings, condemnations, admonishments, judgments, promises, and tender words of hope.
He was kind of a Last Stand of the Age of the Prophets. Once more round of putting it to God's people, calling on them to turn around, and reminding them, one more time, that a Savior was coming, that redemption was nigh, and that in the end, all is not lost.
It comes to me this morning, in a particularly timely way; as answered prayer, as direct words of encouragement from on high.
The entire chapter is about us actually doing what modern democrats are so single-minded about: care for the needy, open our homes, feed the hungry, heal the sick, clothe the naked . . . and to it now, you hypocrites!
It is a commentary on fasting. Yes, you religious people are so good with your traditions and rituals; but all you do is argue with one another!!
But while the democrats are right to point out what Christians SHOULD be doing, Isaiah takes it a step further and says You people that talk it about it so much, should be doing it yourselves!
Not once is it suggested that Judah and Israel need a government approach to these acts of godly charity. So it is with those that judge - - - it always comes full circle, and you find yourself guilty, more than all the others!
It takes so long for justice to be served. Sometimes it never occurs in this life. But God dwells in eternity, and His promises are do good, they are as good as done.
Your vindicator will go before you. But go, you must. You do not follow your vindicator . . . you take the first step, you move, you act; but God takes a position in front of you, like the advance lines of a military thrust into enemy territory.
When God moves, when He takes up your case, even if you have spent decades waiting, wondering if there would ever be justice, He says Here I am. Here and now, in this place. Right now, in the present moment. And He was always Here. He was always Now. And eventually His hand moves, in our timeline, and you realize that He really was there all along. As Russ Taff says in his song Right Here, Right Now, God does not exist in time. He's always Right Here, Right Now.
So go . . . take the step. Act. God goes before you.
On this particular morning, it is exactly what I needed to hear.
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