Pour Yourself Out

 Isaiah 58:6-12 

“Is not this the fast that I choose:

to loose the bonds of wickedness,

to undo the straps of the yoke,

to let the oppressed go free,

and to break every yoke?

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 him,

and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,

and your healing shall spring up speedily;

your righteousness shall go before you;

the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;

you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’

If you take away the yoke from your midst,

the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

if you pour yourself out for the hungry

and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,

then shall your light rise in the darkness

and your gloom be as the noonday.

And the LORD will guide you continually

and satisfy your desire in scorched places

and make your bones strong;

and you shall be like a watered garden,

like a spring of water,

whose waters do not fail.

And 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 dwell in.

I was reading this passage this morning and the phrase "if you pour yourself out" stood out to me. Earlier in the passage, Isaiah had just talked about false religious practice, and now it is contrasted with true righteousness which is pouring yourself out sacrificially for others. He makes the claim that if we do that then God will satisfy us, and we will become stronger. This seems counter-intuitive from an earthly perspective, because it seems like we should try to get as much as we can and keep as much as we can for ourselves if we want to grow stronger and more powerful. But in God's economy, when we pour ourselves out for His sake by loving others well, He builds us up in ways that we would not do for ourselves.

This is a lesson that I am trying to continue to remind myself, and that I am trying to teach my kids and other whom I disciple. If you really want to be strong in an eternal sense then you will pour yourself out in service to others. Learn to love others well. Learn to receive God's love and give it away. 

I pray that the Lord will give me opportunities to express true sacrificial love today.