Devotional Guide, Today’s Reading – Thursday, January 24, 2019

Theme: CHRISTIANITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Text: “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.” – Isaiah 1:17, Revised Standard Version.

Comment: To help men live in peace among themselves God Almighty gave guidelines for man to follow, and one of such is the text for today. Some do not know that one can learn to be good. By reading and hearing the word of God constantly and making earnest efforts to put into practice what we read and hear, our relationship with our Maker, and His Only Begotten Son as well as our dealings with our fellow men, will improve. The Psalmist stated: “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  (Psalm 119:9,11) Apart from the commandments and instructions from God in the Bible there are also practical examples for us to learn from. – John 13:17; Hebrews 4:15.

The point is that equity in society, impartiality in the handling of affairs will engender justice, and reduce oppression to its barest minimum by the grace of God.  St Paul charged his spiritual son, Timothy, which charge applies to all Christians, to wit, “…observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality”. (1 Timothy 5:21) Then Apostle James exhorted: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27) Commenting on this verse, The Life Application Study Bible stated: “In the first century, orphans and widows had very little means of economic support. Unless a family member was willing to care for them, they were reduced to begging, selling themselves as slaves, or starving. By caring for these people, the church put God’s Word into practice. When we give with no thought of receiving, we show what it means to truly serve others.”

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