Dear Family and Friends,

Our one-year old grandson kept us giggling over the holidays. Every time his six-foot plus uncle headed in his direction, our grandson turned and walked in the opposite direction.

We are all familiar with the instinct to survive. To fight or flight. To self-preserve.

Last week I wrote about keeping watch for signs of the end times. My intent was to simply heighten our awareness. But after sending it out, I began to worry if I inadvertently caused some concerns.

Concerns like: Should I make sure my relationship with God is right, and let God know that I love Him with all my heart, soul and mind? Should I pray more? Read His word daily? Go to church regularly? Maybe even fast?

Let’s spend our time addressing those concerns by examining how God prefers we show our love for Him, as found in His conversation with the prophet Isaiah.

1 “Shout! A full-throated shout! Hold nothing back—a trumpet-blast shout! Tell my people what’s wrong with their lives, face my family Jacob with their sins!

2 They’re busy, busy, busy at worship, and love studying all about me. To all appearances they’re a nation of right-living people—law-abiding, God-honoring. They ask me, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’ and love having me on their side.

3 But they also complain, ‘Why do we fast and you don’t look our way? Why do we humble ourselves and you don’t even notice?’ Well, here’s why: The bottom line on your ‘fast days’ is profit. You drive your employees much too hard.

4 You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight. You fast, but you swing a mean fist. The kind of fasting you do won’t get your prayers off the ground.

5 Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after: a day to show off humility? To put on a pious long face and parade around solemnly in black? Do you call that fasting, a fast day that I, God, would like?

6 This is the kind of fast day I’m after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts.

7 What I’m interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry,  inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families.

8 Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The God of glory will secure your passage.

9 Then when you pray, God will answer. You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’”
Isaiah 58:1-9 MSG

The Israelites were leading double lives: Righteous on the outside, not very righteous on the inside.

Although the law required fasting only once a year, they fasted often. And would call out – God, look at me. They wanted God to see their fasting, to see their ‘act’ of love.

But God rejected their acts, because they were nothing more than acts. (Read verses one through five again)

Then starting in verse six we begin to see what God really wanted from them. He wanted their true love.

Love in the same form as His love for us. Love that comes from within. That’s not inward and self-centered. Love that faces outward toward others.

God preferred they express their love for Him by doing good to others. By caring for the less fortunate. By loving their neighbors.

Jesus said it this way in Matthew 25:40 NIV,  “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

The scriptures do not limit the ways we can show God our love. Jesus did not say, spend your days praying and worshipping Me.

Instead He said, “If you love me, keep my commands.” John 14:15 NIV

This theme of showing our love for God by obeying Him is found throughout the Bible.

Can we love Jesus but not our neighbors?

Loving God and loving our neighbors are inseparable commands.

“We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.

Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.

But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them.”  ‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:‭3-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Let me close with this.

Let’s keep watching for signs. And opportunities to bless others.

By blessing others, God will bless us as well.

Oh, and for those who may be nervous about your salvation, always remember that we are saved by grace through faith, not by works. (See Ephesians 2:8-9)

In love always,