Called as ‘repairers of the breach’…

February 5, 2023

Scripture: Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12)

We hear in our somewhat lengthy reading from Isaiah, that those answering his prophetic call would become known as ‘repairers of the breach’…but what does that mean? What is a ‘breach’ anyway? The first definition of breach in The Oxford Online Dictionary is: ‘an act of breaking or failing to observe a law, an agreement, or a code of conduct’. If that is so, what then might the ‘breach’ be that is referred to in our reading? And by extension, as inheritors of this same prophecy, are we therefore called to be ‘repairers of this same breach’ as well? Or did that ‘repair’ happen some time in the past? If not, then is that a part of our own faith responsibility also? Maybe…but if so, then what exactly does it mean to be a repairer of that particular ‘breach’? What ‘break’ in law, agreement, or code of conduct is in need of repairing?

In searching for an answer to this, the only one I found in various bible commentaries was that Isaiah was referring to the break in relationship between humanity and God…the break that is first highlighted in the second Creation account in Genesis, starting in Chapter 2 and verse 4b. The story which includes the account of Adam and Eve, where humankind walked away from Eden, trusting on their own instincts and resources alone.

By contrast, in reviewing the first account of Creation starting in Genesis 1:1, we find the original relationship between God and all of Creation spelled out in detail, complete with the divine ordering of priorities put in place at the very beginning. In this first account we see the loving breath of the Spirit whispered into the lifeless clay figure that had been fashioned by God in the divine image, thereby bringing that bit of clay to life. And that same small portion of Creation was then blessed to be a part of the glorious sixth day proclamation, where God says that ‘indeed all was very good’…not just ‘good’, as were God’s previous reviews of day three through day five. Rather, this final moment of this final day of God’s ‘creating’ was set aside and proclaimed as indeed very good…meaning that, ‘all of Creation was functioning in harmony with all the rest’…all of Creation was functioning in harmony with all the rest.

All was in balance, all was good, and humanity, as the image and reflection of God was rightly situated and appointed as ‘stewards of’, and not ‘lords over’ the rest of Creation. The clay figure first breathed into life as ‘humanity’, was placed into Creation as those called to care for, to mend, and to heal as needed…originally appointed as repairers of Creation, not as those who would ever break or breach that first holy relationship and purpose.

However, as then and as now, human weakness was present, and this role as those called to reflect the love and compassion of God became distorted by self interest…still today we all suffer from that breach in our relationship. One needs only to look around to see ample evidence of this brokenness, and the corruption that is caused by selfishness, greed, and the perennial pursuit of power.

It is also not much of a stretch therefore to realize that as followers of the God of Abraham, Issac, Jacob, and of Isaiah, that we still need to hear and to heed these prophetic words, and to commit to begin doing the work of repairing that which is very much broken…any and all of that which stands in the way of the full realization of the Kingdom of our Lord here and now, in our day, and in our midst.

But how do we do this? What is it that is actually broken, and what can we as individuals, or even as a church gathered do, that will even begin to make a dent in all that currently so deeply ails humankind? Is there really an answer that can address all of those things that challenge us right now? Can we tackle the scourges of all the ‘isms’, along with disease, injustice, inequity, and the ever increasing and desperate cry of the earth itself with some sort of response on our part? Is there a silver bullet so to speak, that can even begin to undo the hurt and the pain, the injustice and the suffering so prevalent among so many of our brothers and sisters…those who also were created in the image of God and first fashioned from a simple lump of clay? Isn’t this way way too big of a problem for us to tackle? After all…we are mere human beings…

Yes…in fact, it is far too big for us to take on…alone. Which brings us back to this notion of ‘repairing’, and as reflections of the divine image, as those created to steward and shepherd all of Creation…it brings us back to this call of Isaiah reminding us that we are supposed to be the ‘repairers of this breach’…and if we are able to repair that breach…that which is broken in our relationship with God…then we will be doing any and all of our work for God, in concert with God.

Truly, we are called to be purveyors of grace, goodness, and hope…demonstrators of the power of compassionate grace and caring. Truly we are called as those who build up, not tear down…those who live fully into the call of Matthew 25 to ‘serve the least of these’, as much as we are able. But we can only do that from a position of being in a fully restored, or repaired relationship with our Lord, and that…up close and personal.

My friends, we are called to live that which we proclaim. We are called to reflect, to make visible not only our original purpose in the will of God, but to model the example who came and lived amongst us full of grace and truth. We, as humans, and even more so, as those who follow Christ, are tasked with repairing this broken understanding of humanity’s place and purpose in God’s original plan for Creation.

Isaiah’s call asks us to seek after, and to give of ourselves fully in pursuit of a society that is governed by law and by equality…a society where all persons, regardless of their particular reflection of the divine image, truly are entitled to the pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In living into today’s scripture message, we are called to insist that that which we proclaim in our words, and by our every action, is what we seek to make our shared reality.

Loving one another…looking out for each other…welcoming our neighbors as friends…and insisting on equality and justice for all is how we begin repairing the breach. Living, acting, and speaking in direct contrast to the broken ways we see all around us, is how we begin that work, in addition to accepting and rejoicing in all the ways our Lord has provided for us to feed, clothe, provide for, share with, and embrace those least and last among us. Which by the way includes the majority or our neighbors and friends. This truly is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s call and challenge.

When loving becomes a habit…then we are ‘repaired’…

…and when we are repaired, we can then do the same for others…

…and then slowly the tide will change, and truly stewarding and shepherding Creation will once again become possible…

And then just perhaps, Eden will come back into focus…

…amen