Rev. Dr. Garth Allen is the Spiritual Life Director at Silver Bay YMCA, NY
[This article is adapted from a message delivered on 11.4.2021 in Morse Hall, it was slightly edited for this format by Tim Hallman; all revisions were approved by Dr. Allen]
During the last 7 months, as the planning team prepared for this Summit at Silver Bay, Isaiah 58 continually bubbled up in our conversations as one of the scriptures that should guide our gathering this year.
I am grateful to have the opportunity to examine this ancient biblical text together as we seek to embody our Christian Faith within the YMCA movement at this current and critical moment in our history.
Dr. Allen
ONE:
We need to Move from Unconscious Hypocrisy to Conscious Altruism!
This movement is particularly difficult because we may be unaware of those areas of our lives that are not aligned with the faith we profess.
It is helpful to have a person or people who we give permission to ask the hard questions of us and who unflinchingly share their insights with us. It may be a colleague, a therapist, a spiritual director, etc. . . .
The key is that we have someone who can confront us with our blind spots.
This movement must be intentional and conscious.
We must make a concerted effort to care for and help those in need . . . we must view this work as worship of the Triune God.
We need to Move from Unconscious Hypocrisy to Conscious Altruism!
TWO:
We need to Move from Duty to Delight!
There is a danger that as time passes the spiritual practices we perform or the services that we lead are done out of a sense of duty (something we do for God) rather than from a sense of delight (joy from our relationship with God and His prescience with us).
Dutiful worship and service becomes dead drudgery, while worship and service that flows from gratitude for God’s relationship with us through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit within us brings fullness of joy and delight!
We need to Move from Duty to Delight!
THREE:
We need to help Move people from Bondage to Freedom!
Wherever there is oppression and bondage, we need to bring freedom and liberty.
Jesus is the ultimate liberator and it is our task to be at the forefront of freeing the captives in our communities by introducing them to Him.
Our witness to the people we encounter must be winsome and encouraging . . . there must be no hint of condemnation or disapproval.
We need to help Move people from Bondage to Freedom!
FOUR:
We need to Move away from Darkness & Gloom and Move toward Light & Wholeness!
I don’t know about you, but I have had enough of all the doom and gloom that constantly bombards us.
Have the past 2 years been difficult? Yes!
Too many people have suffered and died from Covid-19. Racial tensions and inequities persist.
Our public and political discourse has descended into name-calling and griping.
And sadly, not much is different among those who claim the name of Jesus Christ.
I’ve had enough pessimism, let embrace a holy optimism.
God is still in charge – God is the Light of the World.
Jesus Christ still saves souls – in Him is the light of all humankind.
The Holy Spirit inhabits each and every Christian . . . a guiding and sustaining light!
There is light . . . we just need to have eyes to see it.
The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it.
We need to Move away from Darkness & Gloom and Move toward Light & Wholeness!
FIVE:
We need to Move from Discontent at God’s (seeming) Absence / Hiddenness to Satisfaction in God’s Presence!
The people of God were upset that they fasted and God took no notice of it.
Are we any different?
I lament when I feel like I work so hard and no one, let alone God takes notice.
I counsel people and pray with them and feel empty.
We host people in our Pastoral Respite Ministry and people complain and feel entitled to participate instead of receiving it as God’s gracious gift.
Yet God promises contentment and satisfaction in the midst of the “scorched” and empty places.
What if instead I focused on how blessed I am to serve God where I do?
What if I choose to focus on the many gracious ‘thank you’s’ instead of the one criticism?
How about simply seeking contentment and satisfaction that I am a child of the Most High God?
God’s Holy Spirit is with us . . . leading us . . . comforting us – these truths should bring us comfort.
We need to Move from Discontent at God’s (seeming) Absence / Hiddenness to Satisfaction in God’s Presence!
SIX:
We need to Move on from the Broken, Stagnant Ways to Dynamic, Reimagined Ways!
This involves seeing beyond what is (ancient ruins, broken and empty forms) and seeing what can be (new structures, remodeled buildings).
The foundation is fixed – Jesus Christ and God’s Word!
However, new construction may be built on that true and solid foundation.
The new construction will be fit for the needs of today and tomorrow.
Repairing the broken places and restoring what has been lost will bring safety, security, peace, and hope to those who are in desperate need of these things!
Rebuild, Raise up Repair, and Restore represent the way forward for the Christian Mission of the YMCA.
We need to Move on from the Broken, Stagnant Ways to Dynamic, Reimagined Ways!
SEVEN:
We need to Move from Incessant & Inane Activity to Sabbath Rest!
Jesus tells us that the Sabbath has been made for the people of God . . . the time of rest, reflection, listening and communing with God is good for our souls.
Yet I (maybe we) often choose busyness and mindless activity to keep God at an arm’s length.
We must embrace and practice Sabbath if we are going to advance God’s Kingdom in the YMCA and if we are going to impact those people God places in our paths.
Burnout is rampant among those who serve in Christian ministry of all sorts.
When I am brunt out I am not able to fulfill God’s calling on my life and I am unfit to minister to others.
Sabbath provides time and space to renew our relationship with God so that we can re-enter the battle and make a difference for Jesus Christ.
We need to Move from Incessant & Inane Activity to Sabbath Rest!
Conclusion:
I’m not sure if any of these things resonate with you.
I hope that God spoke to each of us about at least one of them.
The bottom line is that we need to keep moving for the YMCA to fulfill its Mission and the promise of its Christian heritage.
Let’s keep moving . . . and let’s do it together. AMEN
Dr. Allen
Context of Isaiah 58
I’d like to give a bit of historical background which I think will aid us in getting the most from this passage.
Isaiah the prophet lived and ministered in Jerusalem during the late 8th and early 7th centuries BC. His ministry intersected with the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and perhaps even Mannaseh.
During this period the Assyrian Empire was on the rise and posed a constant threat to the Kingdom of Judah.
During this time of uncertainty and anxiety, Isaiah emphasizes that God is the Holy One of Israel who rules over history and who would provide a Savior and Redeemer for his people at just the right time.
Isaiah also wrote repeatedly about the stubbornness and inflexibility of God’s people.
Isaiah wrote during a time of nervousness and fear to a people who were stubborn and set in their ways . . . sounds familiar. I’m sure we can find something applicable here.
I’d like to simply work through this passage in sections and make comments on each. This will give context regarding a call to action for YMCA leaders as we seek to live out the truths that the prophet Isaiah has given to us.
Verse 1: God’s Declaration to Isaiah the Prophet
The opening phrases of this passage suggest that God has an extremely urgent message for His people.
The trumpet was used to call people to pay attention . . . it was use by armies to call soldiers to prepare for battle.
God’s task for Isaiah – declare to my people their transgressions and sins.
This would not be a feel good message with “3 points and a poem” as my dad likes to say.
No this would be a message that confronted God’s people with the harsh truth of their sinful patterns.
Verses 2-5: God’s Complaints Against His People
Two little words in verse 2 give away God’s initial complaint: “as if” . . . the people presented themselves in one way, but acted in a completely different way.
They projected an image of righteousness and obedience, but their lives were far from it.
The saddest part is that God’s people were not even aware that they were being frauds.
In verses 3-5, God calls into question their practice of fasting.
Instead of using the time for self-examination and listening to God, the people pursued business and pleasure, they treated their workers unfairly, and they physically attacked one another.
They oozed false humility . . . their bowed heads, sackcloth, and ashes displayed the outward image of piety, but there was no heart engagement . . . it was all a show.
Verses 6-7: God Expresses His Hope for His People
These two verses are both expressed as questions, but the response does not require much thought.
God’s people are expected to reply to each question with a simple “Yes!”
God’s desire for the fasting/worship of His people is two-fold: bring freedom to the captives and provide the basic necessities for those who lack them.
I was stunned by the final phrase in verse 7: “not hide yourself from your own flesh.”
This suggests that God’s people were actually ignoring the basic needs of their family members and still attempted to project holiness as they participated in fasting and worship.
True worship/fasting is active, engaged, and practical. It involves caring for others in tangible ways.
Verses 8-14: Promises for Those Who Embrace God’s Hope
The final section of this chapter expresses God’s hope for those who are courageous enough to affirm the fast that God “chooses.”
This hope is profound.
When God’s people care for one another as an act of fasting/worship, then:
Light breaks out in the darkness.
Healing happens quickly.
Prayers are answered.
God draws near and guides His people.
Satisfaction and Contentment reign.
Ruins are repaired.
Foundations are laid for the future.
People feel safe and protected.
Sabbath rest returns.
These promises are amazing and encouraging, but they are not automatic.
Four times in these seven verses the word “if” appears . . . if you do this, then God will do that . . . if, if, if, if. These promises are conditional.
If we practice the fast that God chooses, then these promises become reality.
If we worship God with lives actively poured out in service to others, then these promises are ours.
But . . . but if we fail to embrace God’s fast and if we continue in the same paths, then we will miss out on all of these amazing promises.
It is quite clear from this passage that God is not happy with His people.
Their actions in worship are not in synch with the way that they treat one another.
God’s people, upon hearing these complaints, should be ready to change their ways . . . to move from where they are to where they should be.
It is this concept of movement that guides our call to action.
I find this particularly insightful for us because we refer to the YMCA as a movement.
The word ‘movement’ suggests motion, change, growth, evolution, transformation, progress, and action.
As YMCA professionals who are committed to lifting up the “C” in our name we need to be on the move.
Based on Isaiah 58, God has given us 7 Moves that will Enable us to Embody and to Expand the Christian Faith within the YMCA.
[This article is adapted from a message delivered on 11.4.2021 in Morse Hall, it was slightly edited for this format by Tim Hallman; all revisions were approved by Dr. Allen]