For you have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat.” vs. 4
Isaiah 25:1-5
As a prophet Isaiah regularly took the people of Israel to task for behaviors unbefitting the people of God. He pointed out their sin and called them to repentance, but those words of judgment should not imply that he believed God to be angry and vengeful. Indeed, Isaiah had the highest regard for God and understood that God is a refuge to the poor and to the needy. The downtrodden don’t stand much of a chance in this world of tyrannical rulers and dominating powers. Those who battle to control the wealth of the nation’s, simply don’t care about those on the bottom of the economic ladder. But as God works through the hands and feet of the faithful millions, the poor are given relief and the needy are lifted up in their distress. In times of earthquake, flood, and scorching heat God gives shelter and enables survival for the broken and forlorn. If ever we should wonder where God is, we should look for those places where the least of these are being fed, clothed, and sheltered. It is God who gives asylum, who offers work permits and green cards. This is how God operates. Isaiah knew it and gave praise and thanks! And so do we!
Thought for the Day: What signs of God do we see in the lives of the rich and powerful?
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