Isaiah 58, My Oxygen

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For me, reading Isaiah 58 is a like a burst of oxygen. The prophet critiques us when we pretend to serve God but our activities all end in quarrel, strife and exploitation. This is our faith?

No! He compels us with robust words into robust action on behalf of humanity. “Loose the chains of injustice . . . break the yoke of oppression . . . share, clothe, feed . . . spend yourselves (draw out thy soul) on behalf of the hungry . . . satisfy the needs of the oppressed”

This is what God seeks from us and for us. As we spend ourselves on behalf if others, “our light will shine in darkness.” He will “satisfy our souls . . . strengthen our frame[s]” and we “will be called Repairers of the Breach, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”

I love Isaiah 58. Breathe deeply, you will feel it too.

About Post Author

Walter Lanier

Walter Lanier is a husband, father, lawyer, pastor, teacher, educator, and social entrepreneur with a deep commitment to being a liberating force in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Lanier, an inaugural CBMA fellow, is the Senior Pastor of Progressive Baptist Church of Milwaukee, which has a 30-year track record of innovation and service to community Milwaukee. Pastor Lanier also serves as the Director of Student Resources at Milwaukee Area Technical College where he also founded the college’s Men of Color Initiative and lead the first-ever Counseling and Psychological Services department.

wjlanier@gmail.com