Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
For day after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God…
Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
and exploit all your workers.
Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high. (Isaiah 58:1-2, 3b-4)
I enjoy seeking the Lord. Don’t you? We all do. Time in praise, thanksgiving and prayer; time studying the Scriptures, allowing the truth of God’s Word to wash over you, basking in the fullness of joy only found in the presence of Almighty God; when someone calls to you from the other room. This kept happening to me. Sometimes the momentary disruption is no big deal. Other times, I experienced it like nails sliding across a chalkboard. A wave of irritation comes upon me, and I think, “How dare you disrupt my ‘me time’ with Jesus?”. My response is dishonorable, snippy, and bubbling with sarcasm. I have noticed this is my reaction more times than I care to admit. I’m sure this is just me.
For so long I thought the desire to seek and to eagerly pursue God’s presence and blessing was all that I needed. Do the right things, check the spiritual boxes then good results follow – right standing with God. It seems that is what Israel thought too. The Almighty tells them that they were mistaken. God commands Isaiah to not be shy; yell the people’s sin out, tell them their piety does not make them right with God! Wow. Can you imagine generations religiously engaging in rituals outlined in the Law – feasts, fasts, sacrifices – doing all of these good things only for God to say, “Hey, you are still in rebellion. Listen to all the sins you have committed against Me. Coming to me with all this religious stuff does not absolve you,”? I was initially stunned and discouraged reading this.
Is it wrong to enjoy and receive the benefits of praising God, being in God’s presence, reading and gleaning from the Word of God, giving, serving, volunteering, praying? No, of course not. All of these things are good behaviors that we as followers of Christ should want to do. The problem seems to lie in the reason behind the actions. We need to ask Holy Spirit about ourselves. Am I doing this to honor God or to please myself? From a sincere heart in pursuit of His heart or to be impressive and prove my worthiness? According to verse 4, we can tell by the fruit. Israel’s fasting resulted in continued fighting and exploitation of others! My devotional time ended with my bad attitude toward the person who disturbed me. Thankfully, God continues to be gracious and gives Israel the cheat code of what it looks like to honorably approach Him (and each other) and favorable outcomes when they do it His way (v. 6-12).
The truth is, if we are truly honoring God with our lives of worship and service, there should not be strife between us. If we are seeking The Kingdom of God first as Christ instructs His disciples in Matthew 6:33 then the good, right, wholesome, and fulfilling outcomes follow. Our relationships reflect the oneness of the Godhead; we live peaceably with one another; our thoughts toward each other are lovely and virtuous. May we repent and lay aside our way, our preferences, and presumptions of what is right and good to take up the way of our Lord.
—Anyah E. Reed
