In one of the hardest hitting justice passages, Isaiah lays out a variety of lessons for us on the nature of spiritual disciplines. Fruitful prayer and fasting are not meant to be ends in themselves, but rather the means for deepening our relationships with God and others, inviting God to transform us into people who are deeply engaged in pursuing justice in our everyday lives.

We each desire our lives to get better in various ways. Will we believe in our society’s path towards the good life, through achievement and accumulation? Or will we trust Jesus that the path towards true life is actually through surrender? The choice is ours, and the stakes are high.

When God invites us into a difficult or unexpected path, how do we respond? Mary responds with beautiful maturity when she receives the news that she'll be the mother of the Messiah. In her famous song she models humility, gratitude and joy, returning worship to God for his goodness in her life.

Using the “shepherd” metaphor, Ezekiel calls out leaders of Israel who had neglected their duty and abused their power to the detriment of the people. He foreshadows the coming of Jesus, the “good shepherd” who would lay down his life for his sheep (John 10:15). This passage has potent implications for everyone who exercises influence over others. As part of God’s “royal priesthood” (I Peter 2:9), we are called to exercise power in a way that reflects the example of our chief shepherd.

Why are so many tired, weary or disillusioned in their faith? When we pursue God in our strength, we miss the whole point of the gospel, and we find ourselves burnt out on religion. Through the prophet Zechariah, we receive an ancient yet fresh call to return to a faith that is focused first on God, and to express our faith through lives that line up with God’s calling—to love our neighbours as ourselves.

As a result of centuries of repeated disobedience, God allows his people to be conquered by Babylon and carried away into exile. Despite living in a foreign land among people with no regard for God, God asks his people to make the most of their situation—to seek the peace and prosperity of their new city, to trust his long-term promises even in the midst of discouragement, and to continue to seek and worship him.

If God is loving, powerful and active in the world, then why do the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer? Through the oracle and prayer of the prophet Habakkuk at a critical time in the history of Judah, we see these perennial questions take centre stage. And this ancient story shows us the ancient path—how to walk honestly, humbly and faithfully with God through the darkest of times.

In the context of a broken and exiled Israel, Isaiah 61 gives us a detailed view of the promised ministry of the Messiah. He would proclaim God’s truth, he would personally deliver and transform people, and he would anoint and empower others to join him in his mission to restore justice and righteousness to the world.

Isaiah provides a devastating account of the seeds and bitter fruit of injustice. He helps us see injustice as involving our thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions. He demonstrates how injustice damages our relationships with God, others, and ourselves. However, he also speaks a word of hope: God is deeply displeased with injustice and has set in motion a plan to set things right.

Amos is a shepherd who hears clearly that God is not pleased with Israel. Through Amos, we see the critical connection between our worship and our lives, and we hear God’s emotional plea for us to return to him with integrity.