Isaiah 58:11-12 “And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.”
Isaiah 58:7-8 “Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to they house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.”
As outlined in the previous two posts, God is searching for a faithful few who can repair the breech in our land as He builds up the old waste places, raises up stable foundations, and restores the paths of protection and provision. Our communities, our states and our nation are long-overdue for such an outpouring of healing, renewal, and revival.
There are two primary categories of contingencies in the passage above that are holding us back today like they were in the day of Isaiah. The first is a real, genuine, authentic, ever-guiding, never-neglecting faith. This was addressed in last week’s post.
The second category of God’s contingent promises is a practical spiritual application of our faith that impacts those who are around us.
We face afflicted people throughout our days and in every corner of our society. They are practically and spiritually poor, hungry, and naked. They lack hope and resilience. They face chronic instability and insecurity. They endure unsettledness and a profound absence of peace. They carry the weight of the world on their shoulders with stifling burden and loneliness. They live with strife as well as physical and moral poverty. They stumble through life in darkness and blindness.
We are directed to help meet the practical and spiritual needs of the desperate world in which we live. If we do, then we will illuminate our world like a magnificent sunrise. We will have energy and vitality to complete our tasks and a resilient reputation to lead the way. And, we will regain our ability to reflect the glory of the Lord into the environment around us that is thirsting for a glow that has been absent from their shadow-filled lives.
PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE WITH THE PRACTICAL AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF PEOPLE, COMMUNITIES, AND SOCIETY. If we do, the glory of the Lord shall be our rereward.
