You will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. (Isa. 58:12)
AMID THE HORRORS of the Nazi rule in Holland during World War II, the ten Boom family hid many Jewish refugees in their home. When Nazi soldiers finally arrested the ten Booms, they offered a deal to Casper ten Boom. If he would promise not to help the Jews, they wouldn’t take him to a concentration camp. Casper’s response was clear: “If I go home today, tomorrow I will open my door to any man in need who knocks.” Despite the cost, Casper had determined “to loose the chains of injustice and to set the oppressed free.”
In Isaiah 58, God provided clear instructions of what He desired from His people. The Israelites performed religious rituals well, but they lacked genuine charity toward others. God rebuked them for their hypocrisy. His new decree included feeding the hungry, protecting neighbors, and rebuilding broken relationships.
Because we’re believers in Jesus, God offers you and me countless opportunities to answer the cries of the oppressed. Serve a meal at a shelter. Sponsor a child overseas. Help a single parent with bills or groceries. God calls us—the ordinary men and women—to do His work and shine His light. Following Jesus means more than worship on Sunday. It also means making ourselves available on Monday. Hear someone knocking? Open the door. Let God perform the extraordinary through you.
Remember to let the worship of Sunday overflow to actions on Monday.
Kathleen Dunlap lives in Colorado with her husband and Great Dane mix. For fourteen years, she worked in missions in Germany. She enjoys reading and running.
