Isaiah 56:1 This is what the Lord says: “Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.”
Maintain justice and do what’s right… such simple, straightforward ideals, yet so many still have difficulty following through. Sometimes we get caught up in the world and sometimes we get caught up in our own mess, yet the moment we realize we are drifting, God gives us the means to make our way back to Him.
Isaiah 56:3 Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.” And let no eunuch complain, “I am only a dry tree.”
I love the spirit of inclusion here, probably because I’ve felt—both real and imagined—the sting of exclusion myself. God’s not interested in exclusivity. He throws the gates of Heaven open to all who see Him for who He is. The rules are pretty simple: seek, see, maintain, do, follow.
Isaiah 56:8a The Sovereign Lord declares—he who gathers the exiles of Israel…
Lord, Thank You for being the fiercely loving God of the universe. Thank You for allowing us to come to You—even though we are slow, cranky, and obstinate. Thank You for welcoming all, especially the least of these. Help us to live, love, and serve like You. Draw us closer. Amen.
Isaiah 56:8b …“I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.”
Have a blessed day.