Listen:
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter, when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” Isaiah 58:6-8
Reflect:
A girl was eager to bring something for her father. “Go and fill this cup from the sea and bring it to me”, he said. She started quickly, but by the time she climbed down and back, the water spilled out. She tried many ways, but could not bring the cup full. Her father, seeing her sadness, comforted her, “Dear daughter, look how clean the cup is!”
My friend Inshirah told this story, she was the young girl and her father was the first one to tell her about God the Father and Jesus and plant the seed of faith. A generation later, we get to follow Jesus together, participate in His Church, and live out concern for the powerless who need protection.
God shows special concern for the powerless when He tells His people repeatedly to take care of the poor, widows, orphans, and foreigners. How we relate to others in obvious need directly reflects our understanding of grace and measure of faith in God as something received. God’s justice is proactive, generous intervention on behalf of the vulnerable, and today we consider our connection to Isaiah’s hearers as we reach out to women in our town, something communities of faith in God have been doing for centuries.
In the mountains of Romania, survivors of sexual exploitation are in community where everyone is witness to restoration possible by Grace. What started as a weekly outreach 11 years ago led to a drop in center, therapeutic residential program, and job readiness center that is blessing many women and children, so much so that we are praying for additional staff to join the team. May we grow in grace, together!
Prayer of Response:
God of all grace, you are before all things. We are immeasurably blessed by You. We confess a tendency to regard our own comfort and resources more than You. Thank you for salvation, for your power to grow and change, as demonstrated by the women in the FREE community in Romania. Continue the work you began purifying us as sisters and brothers for your own possession, zealous to do good works. Amen.
Questions to Ponder:
Have you, your family, or your church personally interacted with someone in your community who needs attention, care, protection of a family? Offer these dear ones up in prayer today.
Breath Prayers:
Join us in praying breath prayers each day. We invite you to write your own as well.
Inhale (Breathe in): Your freedom
Exhale (Breathe out): is for all people
(Repeat)
—Submitted by: Shannon Alley
Shannon has been a member of Lifesprings Community since 2020 and serves on the prayer team.