LIVING HOPE - Reading With the People of God: Part 18Sample

Perfectly Connected

It always amazes me how two different passages so far apart in writing times and purpose can still be so perfectly connected. Today’s scriptures are no exception. Let’s take a look:

Isaiah 58:1-5: The message comes through loud and clear that while the people were doing all the “right” things to get God’s attention (all the “religious” things), their hearts were far from Him. Bowing their heads, sitting in sack cloth and ashes, etc., while not caring for others’ basic needs of food, clothing and shelter wasn’t what God wanted. In fact, at the same time they were doing those things, they were actually treating others with great unkindness.

James 2 also speaks of not caring for the needs of others, but with a little different slant. Their desire to look good wasn’t even aimed at trying to impress God, but others. And the others they were concerned about didn’t deserve their attention. While showing favoritism to the top dogs in the community, they were dishonoring and marginalizing the poor.

“Even so, faith, if it has no works, is dead …’ (James 2:17 NASB). James then goes on to say in verses 21-23 that faith is made perfect/complete when it is acted upon. So, what does that look like? Toggling back to Isaiah 58, verses 6-7, 9b-10a and 13 give us some practical ways to live out that faith in God in a way that pleases Him. Verses 8-9a, 10b-12 and 14 give the incredible rewards and gifts that come from our gracious God for living our faith out like that.

And finally, James gives the most compelling reason of all from someone who lived out his faith like that: “'And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God.” (NASB) What could be better than a right relationship with our Creator and to have him call us His friend? Enjoy your reading today dear friends!

Primer contributed by Wendy York.