“Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.” Isaiah 58:1-2
I am excited about participating in the National Day of prayer this year because anytime people are gathered to not only talk to God, but also listen to God, there is hope. America is facing a spiritual crisis and it’s time that we wake up as a nation to what is going on around us and comprehend the price future generations will pay.
God is calling for a people to go about telling this nation of it’s rebellion, transgression and sins. This heralding is to be like a trumpet blast to get people’s attention, because outwardly there are those who say they want to know God and draw near to Him, but in reality this is nothing more than a show.
The point of Isaiah 58 is that outward actions and talk is simply not enough. In other words a piety that does not produce a passion for God-exalting ministry and practical mercy is really worthless. I have no doubt that I will gather with some “Bible reading,” praying folks who enjoy doing these things. But do we as a nation enjoy God and His ways or are we more interested in enjoying our own self-justifying religion, while we forsake the judgments of God. The indictment is clear and should frighten us, God is not pleased with a public show that doesn’t produce fruit.
You might question what kind of fruit God is looking for. I think character fruit would be something God expects. Galatians 5:22-23 describes character this way: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. When a person receives Christ by faith, the Spirit of God goes to work transforming that person into the likeness of Jesus from the inside out.
Another kind of fruit God expects is conduct fruit. Followers of Jesus produce good works that glorify God and demonstrate His love to the world. Philippians 1:11 speaks of the “fruit of righteousness.” This is the fruit of a life that lives righteously and serves God faithfully.
However, of all the fruit I believe the one God expects the most is conversion fruit. When you share the gospel with someone and they come to faith in Jesus, you are being fruitful. When you disciple a person teaching them to walk with God and invest in others, you are producing lasting fruit.
I am hopeful that as we gather to pray this Thursday that it will be a time of self-examination, as well as, petition. I am prayerful that God will put it on my heart and the heart of many others who are in Christ to live fruitful lives as disciples of Jesus Christ.
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