God's Fasting Isaiah 58

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
   and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
   and break every yoke"  Isaiah 58:6

Dear Father,

It is obvious that our tendency is to lose sight of what is really important to you. We can be very busy being religious, and fail completely to pay attention to what you consider to be important. Isaiah was pointing out that Israel was going through the motions of their religious practices, but were missing the point of their religion.

I pray that these children do not lose their way in this manner. I pray that they develop a deep understanding of the things that are imporant to you. Choosing to be about loosing the chains of injustice and setting the oppressed free will not make them popular with people in power. It is only people holding power in one form or another who can bind people with injustice and oppress them. And when someone attempts to loose the chains and set the oppressed free, they are running up against the oppressors in power.

Thus, my prayer for these children is that you open their eyes to the injustice and oppression around them and give them the courage to confront it. At the same time, give them wisdom as to how to most effectively address these things in a way that is most likely to be successful. Shouting in protest may be appropriate at times, but at other times quietly working behind the scenes may be the best approach. Sometimes it may be best for them to simply support someone else who is fighting the battle.

But, in the end, show them that it is not your will or your desire for them to turn a blind eye to the injustice and oppression around them. Grow in them a heart for defending the defenseless and help them build a platform strength and influence from which to fight the battle.

Amen