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Isaiah 58:6-14

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness[a] will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
    with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you always;
    he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
    and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
    and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
    Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
    and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
    and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
    and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
14 then you will find your joy in the Lord,
    and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land
    and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Discuss & Reflect

The theme passage of One Body One Hope has always been this scripture in Isaiah. We chose it because from day one we longed to “loose the chains of injustice, set the oppressed free, share our food with the hungry, and provide the wanderer with shelter.” And for us, it all began with 35 war orphans after the Liberian civil war. Today, those kids are all grown up—and we are so grateful to God for how he has blessed and provided for them! But there are many more kids still in our care. Over 150 to be exact.

1. Do you have a sponsor child through OBOH (or another organization)? Take a moment to pray for the life of that precious image-bearer of God. Or simply pray for the kids in the OBOH children’s homes.

2. Jesus says the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. What does it mean to you to love your neighbor as yourself?

3. We are so blessed to live in a place where we can receive medical care whenever we need it. Unfortunately, the kids in One Body One Hope’s children’s homes do not have access to the kind of healthcare we take for granted. When was the last time you went to the doctor? Talk about that experience and give thanks for the care you received.

4. If you could meet your sponsor child (or any child living in a group home around the world) face-to-face, what would you say to him or her?