A Lighthouse
Today's passage is so exciting to me. Isaiah 42 is a wonderfully prophetic book.
Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice on the nations. (v. 1)
A commentary from the NIV Women of Faith Bible states: "While Jewish scholars interpret the servant in this chapter to be Israel itself, Christians understand the servant to be Jesus (Mt 12:15-21), Savior of the Jews, but also a "light for the Gentiles." (Isaiah 42:6)
Wouldn't you have loved to be at the river that day when John baptized Jesus and the dove came down and the loud speaker from heaven spoke "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
(Mt. 3:17) Oh, how wonderful to have God look down at his children today and say…"These are my children with whom I am well pleased."
Enjoy this passage, Isaiah 42:5-9 in The Message. It's subtitle:
The God Who Makes Us Alive with His Own Life
"God's Message, the God who created the cosmos, stretched out the skies, laid out the earth and all that grows from it, Who breathes life into earth's people, makes them alive with his own life: "I am God. I have called you to live right and well. I have taken responsibility for you, kept you safe. I have set you among my people to bind them to me, and provided you as a lighthouse to the nations. To make a start at bringing people into the open, into light: opening blind eyes, releasing prisoners from dungeons, emptying the dark prisons. I am God. That's my name. I don't franchise my glory, don't endorse the no-god idols. Take note: The earlier predictions of judgement have been fulfilled. I'm announcing the new salvation work. Before it burst on the scene, I'm telling you about it.
Oh Great God, who hang each star in the sky and uniquely created each one of us out of love, please not only breathe life into us today, but make us spiritually alive as well. A living reflection of You!
In Jesus' Name, Amen
