Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.
God is speaking to the people of Israel through Isaiah. He has told them that their sacrifices and offerings, assemblies, festivals and even their prayers have become meaningless to him, because the people of Israel have not done the right thing by others. Even though these words were delivered in a specific time to a specific group of people, there is a lot we can learn from them. Justice is the act of making things fair, or making sure that each gets his or her due. We know life is not always fair, but we can do more to be sure we correct the unfairness when we can. I have not thought about justice in this particular way before, and I need to understand it better.
Father God, help me to "do" justice; to seek and promote it. Help me to understand this concept better, and to see opportunities where I can make even a small difference. Amen
Becky, transforming
Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.
When you first read this, you might think I couldn’t possibly do all this. I don’t have the talents for some, or the means for others. Isaiah has given us much to think about. But if we know about the problems of the people around us, we can take small steps to help where we can. Nowhere does it say everything is our responsibility. Maybe, not everything, but some things are. We need to learn where to best fulfill the needs of those around us.
Prayer: gracious God, keep my eyes and ears open to the needs of…
February 8th, 2023
Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.
Isaiah brings a message of judgement to the Israelites, who had sinned against God.
We don’t have an Isaiah to judge and guide us but we so have the Holy Spirit. Our justice system today should be equal and the same for everyone. We believe It is just when a person who has committed a crime faces the consequences. It is also just when the government chooses to provide for the needy, before focusing on others. Justice and fairness can lead to the greater good. On the other hand, it is unjust to judge someone or not includ…
Isaiah 1:17
One of my readings this morning was on this same theme. From Plough magazine’s “Daily Dig”:
“An Unjust Contest
J. DANIEL SIMS
When we confuse our jobs with our worth we end up calculating our innate value on spreadsheets and forgetting the true nature of our deep interconnections. We forget that others are more than their relative place in the pecking order. We forget that this pecking order, which now extends globally, is profoundly inhumane and unchristian in both its ideology and impact.
If we are all equal before our Maker, why are some still slaves.”
This gets me thinking about how to live justly. Do I avoid buying products from places known to use slave labor? Do…