It Only Takes a Spark, To Keep A Fire Going

This morning I offer you Isaiah’s answer to how we are to live in this world.

⁷ Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,

   and bring the homeless poor into your house;

when you see the naked, to cover them,

   and not to hide yourself from your own kin? 

⁸ Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,

   and your healing shall spring up quickly;

your vindicator shall go before you,

   the glory of the Lord shall be your rearguard. 

⁹ Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;

   you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. 

If you remove the yoke from among you,

   the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, 

¹⁰ if you offer your food to the hungry

   and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,

then your light shall rise in the darkness

   and your gloom be like the noonday. 

¹¹ The Lord will guide you continually,

   and satisfy your needs in parched places,

   and make your bones strong;

and you shall be like a watered garden,

   like a spring of water,

   whose waters never fail. 

¹² Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;

   you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;

you shall be called the repairer of the breach,

   the restorer of streets to live in. (Is. 58 NRSV)

you shall be called the repairer of the breach,

   the restorer of streets to live in.

Isn’t that a great line?  

 “Restorer of the streets.”

Lets take this entire conversion to a much smaller environment.  To the cities and town we live in.  Actually lets take it to the street we live on.  The home we live in.

 
“You shall be called the repairer of the breach.”

Just imagine how that would be for you, for anyone, to be the one who calms the stormy seas of tension within our own neighborhood, our own family.

Yes, lets leave our the hugeness of the world and national turmoil out of the equation.  And tackle something doable — the small.

What are the word to that wonderful little song?  ‘it only takes a spark to keep a fire burning.”

Imagine a place where little tiny lights of God’s love move gracefully through each day touching lives with God’s love. 

⁸ Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,