Tuesday night within the inner city was cold but dry, with an open
cloudless sky alight with bright shining stars. Every road and corner
displayed the distaste of an inner city that was void of municipal workers, with
litter and sewerage lining the roadside curbs, causing a heavy stench that filled the dry night air.
The streets were buzzing with
life of those loud and intoxicated, others waiting to be picked up by prospective
clients, some hustling for business of illegal substances, others selling their
produce of hard and honest labour, smoke looming fires as some sold cooked hot meals, children
wondering around with no agenda, other children near death in ill health, and
then others just milling with nothing better to do. The shelters were full with residents who could rest comfortably knowing they had achieved a
successful day which allowed them to pay rent for a bed with a roof over their head. Every profitable end of day for those residents allows them to switch off, putting to sleep thoughts of tomorrow’s
hustling or working for the next night’s rental. The new dilemma will begin as they
awake and wonder if and how they will earn enough to pay for the following days accommodation?
The cloud of oppressive evil loomed over the inner city as usual, leaving me heartbroken once again. I was where I chose to be, doing what I love doing, which is to
love those who feel oppressed by life and what it's dealt and still deals them, even though their pain hurts me too.
As often happens, I could not sleep on my return home. I sat up and
deliberated with God, crying out to Him in anguish for those hurting, sick and broken
people. I reached for my bible and opened it to seek a word of healing and
comfort. It opened to Isaiah 50 and upon reading from verse 1; I
felt it did not offer the comfort I was seeking, until I got to verse
4. It was then that I realized that God was speaking to me and affirming that
my heartache was like His. His Word confirmed that being
out on the streets, loving all those hurting people, was where He needed me to
be, that feeling and seeing oppression was what I should expect. I felt, through His Word, that my heart was breaking for what breaks His,
and through that, He was with me every step of the way, guiding me to those who needed
love. It spoke to me saying I should not fear, nor allow the evil to get to me, that a broken heart is what I needed, to draw me closer to Him in faith and prayer.
His affirmation has prepared me well in advance, to go out again into
the oppressed inner city, to visit the lost and hurting, to love them first as God does, before
sharing the truth of His promises and hope of eternal life, to all that call on
His magnificent and awesome name.
The Message: Isaiah 50 Who Out
There Fears God?
1-3 God says: "Can you
produce your mother's divorce papers proving I got rid of her? Can you produce
a receipt proving I sold you? Of course you can't. It's your sins that put you
here, your wrongs that got you shipped out. So why didn't anyone come when I
knocked? Why didn't anyone answer when I called? Do you think I've forgotten
how to help? Am I so decrepit that I can't deliver? I'm as powerful as ever, and
can reverse what I once did: I can dry up the sea with a word, turn river water
into desert sand, And leave the fish stinking in the sun, stranded on dry land
. . . Turn all the lights out in the sky and pull down the curtain."
4-9The Master, God, has given
me a well-taught tongue, so I know how to encourage tired people. He wakes me
up in the morning, Wakes me up; opens my ears to listen as one ready to take
orders. The Master, God, opened my ears, and I didn't go back to sleep, didn't pull
the covers back over my head. I followed orders,
stood there and took it while they beat me, held steady while they pulled out my beard, Didn't dodge their insults, faced them as they spit in my face. And the Master, God, stays right there and helps me, so I'm not disgraced. Therefore I set my face like flint, confident that I'll never regret this. My champion is right here.
Let's take our stand together! Who dares bring suit against me? Let him try! Look! The Master, God, is right here. Who would dare call me guilty? Look! My accusers are a clothes bin of threadbare socks and shirts, fodder for moths!
stood there and took it while they beat me, held steady while they pulled out my beard, Didn't dodge their insults, faced them as they spit in my face. And the Master, God, stays right there and helps me, so I'm not disgraced. Therefore I set my face like flint, confident that I'll never regret this. My champion is right here.
Let's take our stand together! Who dares bring suit against me? Let him try! Look! The Master, God, is right here. Who would dare call me guilty? Look! My accusers are a clothes bin of threadbare socks and shirts, fodder for moths!
10-11Who out there fears God, actually
listens to the voice of his servant? For anyone out there who doesn't know
where you're going, anyone groping in the dark, here’s what: Trust in God. Lean
on your God! But if all you're after is making trouble, playing with fire, Go
ahead and see where it gets you. Set your fires, stir people up, blow on the
flames, but don't expect me to just stand there and watch. I'll hold your feet
to those flames.
Thank you Lord Jesus for Your
Word, and for hearing us when we call on
Your precious and wonderful name, in Jesus name I pray, amen!
