Learn to do Right!

Learn to do Right!

Isaiah 1:13 – Do not bring any more meaningless offerings; I consider your incense detestable! You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations, but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations! 14 – I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies; they are a burden that I am tired of carrying. 15 – When you spread out your hands in prayer, I look the other way; when  you offer your many prayers, I do not listen, because your hands are covered with blood.

verse 16 – Wash! Cleanse yourselves! Remove your sinful deeds from my sight. Stop sinning! 17 – Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow! 18 – Come, let’s consider your options,” says the LORD, “Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool.

These verses sting!  What point is all the worship, ritual, and tradition if I’m still sinning?  Do I promote sin in my conversation or actions?  Do the oppressed leave my presence with a lighter burden or have I made it heavier with a false picture of the God of heaven?  Do the widows have anyone to speak for them in their defense?  What are my options as a professed Christian?  It’s much easier to hide behind worship rituals and pass off community service to someone else.  These verses, however, tie us directly to our communities.  Jesus wants us to be ‘hands on’ in relieving suffering.  Visit the orphan and the widow.  Visit the sick.  Visit the prisoner.  Let’s be ‘hands on’ in our worship of God.  Preparation for the Sabbath worship service is more than just studying the lesson and practicing music.  It is in touching the lives of those around us who are hurting. 

We are stained red with sin but we can become white like snow.  Our lives are dyed with scarlet but we can become white like wool.  Jesus can make this transformation happen – not just in our lives but in the lives of the oppressed, the orphan, and the widow.  Let’s look at our options and choose to learn to do right as we are called by Jesus to touch the lives of others – then Jesus will see our authentic, faithful, sincere worship.  He will hear our prayers and look our way once more in His boundless love and mercy!