Meet Some Needs
Isaiah 62:10
Go out, go out through the gates; prepare a way for the people! Build it up, build up the highway! Clear away the stones! Raise a banner for the peoples.
God promised His salvation was coming to Zion after their exile in this chapter. While they were once ravaged and taken into captivity, God promised to gather and restore them. He had wonderful plans for them, but many were left alone and hurting. In order for them to receive the good news of restoration, someone had to go find them and tell them they now had reason to rejoice.
Sometimes we are hurt so badly that we have trouble worshiping God. Whether it is illness, hunger, lack, or some other type of need, quite often the physical or material need has to be met for the person to be open to receiving spiritual help. We must be willing to meet real needs in order for people to want to hear about our God.
In this passage, God is instructing His people to go out – go out through the gates. In other words, leave your neighborhoods and your own comfort zones. Go where the people are that need to hear the good news. Go beyond your church walls to find those who are hurting, and begin to meet some needs. He instructs them to build a highway, or pave the way for the hurting to come to know Christ. Give them a reason to want to celebrate, and prepare a way for Christ to come to them.
He also instructs the people to clear away the stones, which represent any impediment to worshiping God. When we meet real needs, we are clearing the debris that stands in the way of worship and giving people reason to want to know God. Meeting needs is the biggest thing you can do to bring growth to a church or ministry. People will want to participate where they are being fed, challenged, refreshed, revived, and renewed.
To raise a banner is to encourage people to praise God. If we lift high His name and give honor and glory to Him, those in need will see our joy and want what we have. After all, our goal is to point others to Him, and He does the rest.
Meet some needs today. Go beyond your comfort zone to include someone or reach someone who is hurting. Our Savior is coming, and He has something wonderful in store for each of us. Someone needs that hope today. As we begin to meet the needs of others, we will find God meeting ours. As verse 12 informs us, we will be called the Holy People, the LORD’s Redeemed. We will be called Cared For, A City Not Deserted. Every widow needs that comfort. Find one today, and tell her.
Have a blessed day!