False Tears

Today I won't be sharing something from Luke or Ezekiel, but from one of my favorite books, Isaiah (58)! This is actually my life passage - it's about true fasting. I read it in the amplified this morning and was blown away by how much more it illuminated.
God says that they "cannot fast as they do today and expect your voice to be heard on high". What's that supposed to mean?

Is such a fast as yours what I have chosen, a day for a man to humble himself with sorrow in his soul? [Is true fasting merely mechanical?] Is it only to bow down his head like a bulrush and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him [to indicate a condition of heart that he does not have]? Will you call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord?

The Israelites were trying to replace a living breathing relationship with empty ritual. It's like saying "I love you" to someone every day at 3:30 - it doesn't mean anything if you are just going through the motions, these are only empty words if your heart does not live in a condition of love. The Israelites were trying to get by with ritual and religion when God wanted true fasting, and true repentance.

God wanted the Israelites to change things, and not just go through meaningless motions...

[Rather] is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every [enslaving] yoke?

He wants them, and you, to feed the hungry, and to "bring the homeless poor into your house--when you see the naked,cover him, and do not hide yourself from [the needs of] your own flesh and blood".

God also intructs that we "take away from your midst yokes of oppression [wherever you find them], the finger pointed in scorn [toward the oppressed or the godly], and every form of false, harsh, unjust, and wicked speaking"

He doesn't want us pointing out the brokenness or messed up failures of those who are already oppressed, or even the godly. He wants us to absolutely rid ourselves of every false, hurtful, unfair word we might speak. Man, I guess that means stereotypes, assumptions, libel, and slander are all out of the picture. Hard day- but the reward he offers is worth it!

Just wanted to share one of my favorite chapters - Isaiah 58, read it and obey it someday...

Also want to add some lyrics from a great song "Rich Young Ruler" by Derek Webb

here in the west we want to follow you
we speak the language and we keep all the rules
even a few we made up
come on and follow me
but sell your house, sell your suv
sell your stocks, sell your security
and give it to the poor

We are especially into rule-keeping and out of a passionate following-to-the-earths-ends relationship here in the U.S.