Rise Daily: March 21

Rise Daily: March 21

THIS WEEK’S THEME & PASSAGE

Doing Justice and Mercy – Isaiah 58:1-12

This week’s sermon from the series “Where We are Going: The City and the Mission“

THIS WEEK’S MEMORY VERSE

Memorizing scripture is a way to keep God’s word close to our hearts. Each week we will select one verse of scripture to remember as a community.

Isaiah 58:10
If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.

THE WORD

Each day’s devotion will focus on one part of the week’s passage.

Isaiah 58:1

“Cry aloud; do not hold back;
lift up your voice like a trumpet;
declare to my people their transgression,
to the house of Jacob their sins.”

MEDITATION ON THE WORD

In our busyness and distraction, it is easy to skim through our reading rather than taking it in. Yet we believe this is the inspired word of God. Take a moment to pause, thank God for the scriptures and ask him to speak to you through them today.

The book of Isaiah is filled with visions and promises of the future city of Zion, a place where the redeemed of every nation, language, and tribe will experience the mercy and justice of God. But there is a barrier to that city’s being established. God tells the prophet Isaiah to indict his chosen people, convicting them of the ways in which they have failed to be that city, to be the very channel through which his blessings would extend to the world. In particular, they have failed to embody his love for the downtrodden.

By initiating this conversation, God is actively faithful to the bond of his relationship with his people, even as they are being unfaithful. It is an act of sheer mercy that he communicates to them the ways they are sabotaging their own happiness, and the happiness they are meant to extend to the world.

As we seek to be agents of God’s mercy and justice in our own city, let us begin by earnestly asking the Lord to reveal to us the particular ways we have been unfaithful in reflecting to our neighbors his loving character, especially his mercy and justice, and for the grace to repent: for God’s honor, for our own good, and for the welfare of our city.

THIS WEEK’S RISE REFLECTION

We hope you will say “I’m In” to pray, engage and give in your neighborhood as part of a gospel movement for the good of our city.  The vision of Rise is to see thousands of people rising to bring the hope, joy and grace of the gospel to every neighborhood. That vision starts with you… in your neighborhood. Have you considered how you could help bring hope to the poor and marginalized in your neighborhood by serving with or giving to Hope for New York?

TODAY’S PRAYER

For your Heart: Take a moment to settle your heart and pray for God to show you any areas of your life that he has blessed that you may have unknowingly taken for granted or not used for the benefit of others in need.

For your Church: Pray that our church can be a community where truth is told with love and grace, and repentance is actively pursued. Pray that our church will continually challenge ourselves to seek justice and restoration in our congregations and the neighborhoods we serve.

For our City: Pray specifically for your neighborhood–pray for the poor and marginalized on your street and the surrounding blocks. Pray for God to help you see with his eyes what and how there may be poverty and injustice.