the servant song

Good morning friends,
Our passage for this morning presents one vision for how God will call all people home. When God redeems the world we will all be healed and freed from the things that bind us. We will see clearly and move freely. We see this redemption beginning in Christ’s ministry, both during his life and in his spirit with us. There are several passages in Isaiah where Isaiah, speaking for God, talks about God’s servant. Several of these passages refer to the servant suffering, so Christians have traditionally read these passages as looking ahead to Jesus.

Here we see that the servant will be gentle: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench.” Alongside that gentleness there is an amazing tenacity and power: “He will not grow faint…until he has established justice in the earth.” Christ keeps working gently, patiently and tirelessly through the church. God will not give up on us until justice is established and the world is made new.

God bless,
Sam

Isaiah 42:1-9
1Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. 2He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; 3a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. 4He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

5Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: 6I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, 7to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8I am the LORD, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols. 9See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.