A Beautiful Calling: Here am I.

Isaiah 58:6-12

"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? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of The Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and The Lord will answer; you will cry for help and he will say: Here am I.
If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings."


Oh my goodness. How beautiful is this passage?! I love what God says in this. I stumbled across it the other day as a friend of mine posted something on Facebook in Isaiah 59, but I always like to see the context of things so I went back and read chapter 58 as well. This particular part of the chapter really stood out to me. God calls us to big things - loosening the chains of injustice, freeing the oppressed, making burdens lighter, sharing food and clothing, and giving shelter to those in need. He calls us to such magnificent acts of love and selflessness so he can make us "Repairers" and "Restorers". We have the chance to bring light to those in darkness because we carry the Light and Life of Christ within us. We are repaired and restored because He repaired and restored us! We are capable of bringing healing because He first healed us. Isaiah references the demolition of Israel - an actual, historical demolition of the city. Death was present; oppression reigned. It's a picture of the human soul. We can be re-built and raised up in Christ. To me, nothing is more beautiful than being brought out of death and into new life.

I've been sitting with this for a few days, and the longer I meditate on it, the more it sinks into my brain and heart, and truthfully, the more excited I become by what God has done and what He's calling us to do for others. We are hope-bringers and repairers of brokenness and restorers of life! What a joy that should be! And yet, most days, a good majority of us find ourselves in a desolate and lonely trek of the journey of life. This passage is a good reminder that we've already been freed from the most cumbersome of yokes and burdens. Our life has been restored. It was never promised that this life would be easy, but we have been restored. We are no longer dead in our transgressions but alive in Christ! What beautiful promises God gives us and what a beautiful calling.

Side note: I find it interesting that God says the same thing that Isaiah said in Isaiah 6: "Here am I." In Isaiah 6, God is asking who will go on His behalf as a messenger to His people and Isaiah answers, "Here I am. Send me." Here in this chapter, God answers when we cry for help with a "Here am I." Both declarative and compassionate.