Archive for the ‘Do Unto Others As You Would Like Them To Do Unto You’ Category

Abandonment

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

I just told friends that I am saying a prayer for those who have gone through abandonment. 

Some people think abandoment only happens when someone physically picks up and leaves.  What they do not always understand is abandonment comes in many forms.

I’ve found many people who have suffered what it’s like to have someone withdraw their love, duty, support, or kindness from them.  When someone withdraws their love from the other person they are abandoning them.  This abandonment can happen even when people are living together. 

A woman leaves her husband or a husband leaves the wife but if you hear both sides of the story you are apt to find that they separated long before anyone physically left the marital home.  The woman may have left in the physical sense but the man may have left her feeling as though he abandoned her long before she walked out the door.

A child may be left to take care of responsibilities at home while the parents busy themselves with a career.  If the child is not given the support they need and if the responsibility left on their shoulders is too difficult of a task they may feel abandoned and overwhelmed.

A family may suffer the loss of a family member due to death or divorce.  Their church family may not bother to call them or check on them.  They will probably also feel abandoned.

In Isaiah 54 God basically tells us that God will be the Husband that takes care of us.  There may have been times in life when we felt distressed in spirit or abandoned.  God says to us that He knows about our times of rejection and He will bring us back.  He will have compassion on us.

Isaiah 54:5-8 “For your Maker is your husband—
       the LORD Almighty is his name—
       the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
       he is called the God of all the earth. The LORD will call you back
       as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—
       a wife who married young,
       only to be rejected,” says your God.”For a brief moment I abandoned you,
       but with deep compassion I will bring you back.In a surge of anger
       I hid my face from you for a moment,
       but with everlasting kindness
       I will have compassion on you,”
       says the LORD your Redeemer.”

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Isaiah 58 – What Does It Say?

Saturday, May 15th, 2010

I heared a preacher talk about fasting.  He used Isaiah 58 to point out that fasting is mentioned in the Bible.  The thing he did not do was to talk about how Isaiah 58 points out what kind of fast the Lord wants.

The Lord wants us to do for others what we would like done for us.

Quick notes about what God really wants His Chosen people to do:

  1. Loose the bonds of wickedness
  2. To undo heavy burdens
  3. Let the oppressed go free
  4. Break the yoke of slavery
  5. Share your bread with the hungry
  6. Give covering to the naked people
  7. Do not hide from your own flesh

 

Upon review of Isaiah 58 today I was reminded of the Words of Jesus.  Jesus said that we should treat others the way we want to be treated.