Christian Unity Week 8 Day Readers-Bible-Plan 2023.01.18.
Is a long-standing annual observance, involving Christian communities throughout the world. It is a Journey of Prayer For Eight Days. January 18-25.WPCU 2023 Theme: Do Good; Seek Justice. Is. 1:12-18.
When you come to appear before me, who asked this from your hand? Trample my courts no more! 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. 14 Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.
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. 16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove your evil deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil; 17 learn to do good; seek justice; rescue the oppressed; defend the orphan; plead for the widow. 18 Come now, let us argue it out, says the LORD: If your sins are like scarlet, will they become like snow? If they are red like crimson, will they become like wool? New Revised Standard Version
The theme reflects Isaiah’s concern for the oppressed who suffer from injustice and inequality fed by hypocrisy that leads to disunity. God requires righteousness and justice from all of us, to create the peace and unity that God desires. These virtues originate in God's love for all, and racism runs counter to this vision. Isaiah's challenge to do good and seek justice together applies equally to us today.
Day 1, Learning to do the right thing
Readings
Is 1:12-18 Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan; plead for the widow
Lk 10:25-36 He asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?”
Day 2, When justice is done...
Readings
Prov 21:13-15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous, but dismay to evildoers
Mt 23:23-25 Justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done
Day 3, Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly
Readings
Mic 6: 6 – 8 And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Mk 10: 17-31 Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?
Day 4, Look, the tears of the oppressed
Readings
Eccles 4:1-5 Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiced under the sun. Look, the tears of the oppressed – with no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power with no one to comfort them
Mt 5:1-8 …Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted…
Day 5, Singing the Lord's song as strangers in the land
Readings
Ps 137:1-4 For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked us for mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
Lk 23:27-31 Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your childre
Day 6, Just as you did it to one of the least of these...you did it to me.
Readings
Ezek 34:15-20 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak.
Mt 25:31-40 I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.
Day 7, "What is now does not have to be"
Readings
Job 5:11-16 So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth
Lk 1:46-55 God has brought down the powerful, and lifted up the lowly
Day 8, The justice that restores communion
Readings
Ps 82:1-4 Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute
Lk 18:1-8 Will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night?
Joe Set Aji-Mvo