What is the essence of our faith action?

 What happens when God burns away what we have always thought was important to us?  How do we allow God to purge from us that which no longer speaks the love of God to others in our world?
Today we look at verses from the book of Isaiah and see how well they speak to our situation today.



Isaiah 1:1, 10-20
1:1 The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.


1:10 Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!


1:11 What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.


1:12 When you come to appear before me, who asked this from your hand? Trample my courts no more;


1:13 bringing offerings is futile; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation-- I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity.


1:14 Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them.


1:15 When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.


1:16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil,


1:17 learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.


1:18 Come now, let us argue it out, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.


1:19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;


1:20 but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.