January 25, 2026 · Rev. Derek van Gulden · Isaiah 58:6-11
With a blizzard on the way and the news feeling hopeless, Rev. Derek van Gulden turns to Micah's call to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly, and to Isaiah's promise that when we pour ourselves out for the hungry, our light will rise in the darkness. The work is hard, but even a phone call or a knock on the door spreads that light.
Transcript
People of God, would you join me in a moment of prayer? Gracious and holy God, this morning I ask you to move the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts by your love, and help me this day not to be the instrument of my own or anyone else's oppression, but to be an instrument of peace in every step, in every breath, in every moment of every day. Amen.
So big storm coming. We're told depending on who you listen to, it could be a couple feet to a couple inches. Does it bring people anxiety? Yes. If you went into a grocery store any time in the last three days, you would know the number of fender benders drastically rises. And people get worried.
But there's a whole lot more going on in our world that I think we worry about more. Or I say I worry about more. About the state of this country, about the state of the world where anger seems to be rising faster than peace, where people point their finger all the time and speak out of the sides of their mouth, knowing full well that half the time what they're saying are blatant lies where we're just inundated with news constantly, even when we try to turn it off and not listen to it. It comes from everywhere. We can think of radios. Once again, that's telling me I'm not talking loud enough or long enough. Anyway, we'll put up with it. You turn on your TV, you're hit with it. You put on turn on your computer. Any platform you go on, it's always there. It's never ending. I don't know about you, but there are days at the end of the day where I just feel hopeless. Where I don't know what to do. So anybody else feel that way?
So on the lighter side, because there always is. Sarah and I were driving, up north, not Vermont, just up toward Newburyport and whatnot, and picking out really good hills to go sledding on later today or tomorrow. Do you remember those days? Light hearted fun. Just because we're older, it doesn't mean we can't go out and do it. My grandson said, I've never seen you slide except for that time this morning, grandpa, when you fell and slid down the hill.
There are things in life that are joyful. There are ways to bring changes to the world.
The passage we use today from Micah in our call to worship. The last line. Does anybody have their bulletin out? Can someone read me the last line? Justice, love mercy and walk humbly. Do justice, love mercy and walk. And walk with God. Pretty simple. Do justice and mercy and walk with God. I said simple. It is hard work.
The passage we just heard Lori read from Isaiah is another place that points out the things we should do. But in this passage, the part I think that jumps out at me the most. Is verse ten. If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desires of the afflicted, then shall your your light rise in the darkness, and your gloom will be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually. That's emphasizing it. When we do these things that we're called to by God. These are the things we're called to do. These are the things that help our light shine. When we make our light shine and we share that with others, it inspires them, it inspires them, and it inspires us to do that work, to feed the hungry, to share what we have to speak for the voiceless.
I realize I'm sounding like a broken record because I say these things a lot, but it's important because the words are there, the guidance is there, but we forget because the work is hard. It is hard, especially when we hear of Renee or Alex who were gunned down in Minneapolis for no reason. How do we make sense of that? For the people that are now last night and tonight, sleeping in Dogtown outside, if they're lucky, maybe a tent because there are some up there, if they're lucky, a sleeping bag. People that we don't think of, we don't see. But what does it take for us to help? To give what we have to volunteer our time to different groups or places that help those to stand up. For those whose family members have just disappeared and they don't know where they are. Supporting them and at the same time working to change the way things have turned into. It is very, very hard work.
But when you do it. Your light arises and it inspires others. Have you ever been inspired by listening to someone do something that you never thought of before? Taking food to them. Sitting down and listening to them over the next day or two. Doing something simple like picking up your phone. I guess you don't really put it. I'm back in the old days and calling them just to see how they're doing, because a number of people in our area and all kinds of places live alone.
That's actually the noise of the snowstorm. If you look outside, you can actually see it getting harder. You are. Mine hasn't gone up. Totally unpleasant. Thank God. Can you hear me? Whoa!
So over the next few days. I encourage each of us to do those things that we hear in Isaiah and in Micah to make a simple phone call, to reach out, to bring food to somebody, to share. Most of us have more than we need. Especially bread and milk, because that seems to be the thing. Actually I'm wrong. Pop tarts are the number one thing in the country that people buy when a blizzard or a hurricane are coming. I don't know why someone figured that out, but it's true. We have six boxes. I haven't told Sarah yet, but.
So be the hope for the hopeless. So share what you have with others. Even when you feel you have nothing to share. Your presence, whether in person or by phone. A knock on the door is an amazing way to spread that light. And who knows, maybe the person or people that you're helping are the ones that really help you. Amen.