Praise God for placing this book in my hands.

Sheri

A couple of things from Isaiah 58.

1. The phrase “spend yourself” in verse ten.

I used to do development work for my alma mater where we put on banquets to raise money for student financial aid. The idea was to have donors pay for each table (ten to forty tables) and then a host would fill the table with friends, family, and acquaintances to have dinner and to hear about what was going on at the school.

At first, it seemed like a big task to get donors to pay for each table. Over time, however, I found that the bigger challenge was for each host to fill the tables with people from their circles of influence. It’s relatively easy to write a check. It’s work to engage people. It’s work to “spend yourself.”

Interestingly, Isaiah 58 talks about helping the poor but it doesn’t ask for donations. Spend yourself.

2. The titles of “Repairer of Broken Walls” and “Restorer of Streets with Dwellings” in verse twelve.

I want “Repairer of Broken Walls” to be on my tombstone.

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Mindy and I were in the Pearl District yesterday and a man asked me for some money. I gave him a dollar. I didn’t over think it and I believe this was because I saw him as my own flesh and blood (verse seven). I know that there is a whole slew of social, economic, physical, and spiritual considerations connected to an exchange like this. (Shrugs.) Whatever. My brother needed a dollar.

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A Note To Future Readers: It’s true that Hope Lives is broken up into a five-day-a-week format over five weeks. As I was nearing day five I was, like, “I need a break.” But after each fifth day there’s an opportunity to reflect and act on the week that just ended. I regard it as a sixth day. Another day to have your rear handed to you. Grin. I’m gonna take that break now.

@ Amber. Thanks so much for stopping by! You’re welcome here! I trust your interview went well.

At the end of the first week of reading “Hope Lives” I am seriously challenged. But in a new and refreshing way. Not to go out (yet) and “do” something different. But to call upon the Lord to sift my heart and ask that He would prune me.

Considering what I’ve read:

“An occasional guilt or benevolence offering isn’t what God wants from me. True charity is love. True charity is mercy. And it’s not extra credit, not an addendum to my faith. As Christians, it’s who we are; it’s our essence”.

it’s becoming increasingly clear to me that it’s not a lack of understanding of God’s commands that keeps me from entering into human suffering. It’s a lack of love. And perhaps too much love of self, unfortunately. And if I’m lacking love for the world and the people in it, then I’m likely not as connected to “the vine” as I’ve thought. In John 15:9 Jesus tells his disciples (that’s me too), “As the Father a has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends…”

I want my heart to grow in love with my Savior, so that I can comfort others with the comfort I have received from him. I want mercy and compassion to flow freely from a deep understanding and appreciation for what Christ has given me. And so I make this prayer from what I’ve read thus far my own,

“God, please give me your heart. True charity, true mercy bleeds. It’s not an uninvolved, unthinking check. I know you don’t want sacrifices that cost me nothing. ‘ If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing’ (1 Corinthians 13;3, NLT). If I give every last cent, but I don’t do it in your love, it’s a waste. Mercy is attached to my heart. God please change my heart. I give it to you. Transform it to love with your love.”

When we devote ourselves the Lord we shine, we are healed (quickly), we have refuge, and we are heard by him (Isaiah 58:8-10). How do we devote ourselves the Lord? By freeing those who are imprisoned wrongly, by sharing our food, by opening our homes, and by clothing them for they are our family (Isaiah 58:6-7).

my heart has got to change. And I can’t change it, however much I want to. And just doing charitable acts won’t change it either. I need to reconnect myself to the unconditional love that the Father has so graciously lavished on me. I need to remember the extent to which He has been charitable, merciful and long suffering with me. And realizing that it is a gift-once again-and remembering that I have done nothing to deserve this gift of grace in which I stand-perhaps will produce gratitude. And out of gratitude, perhaps charity and mercy will blossom.

I hope and pray.

I’m a verbal processor. I’m also a “practicing processor” meaning that I do in order to learn. I want God’s heart for the poor and I’ve found that I won’t EVER help those in poverty if I wait for my heart to adequately mirror God’s desire for justice. Rather, my heart increasingly reflects God’s heart AS I help those in need. Guilt and charity shouldn’t be long-term motivations to help the poor but if it helps someone “do in order to learn”…