Post by Woody Williams on Dec 30, 2005 10:01:35 GMT -5
Text for the Day -- Isaiah 49:1-6
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Listen to me, O coastlands,
pay attention, you peoples from far away!
The Lord called me before I was born,
while I was in my mother's womb he named me.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me away.
And he said to me, 'You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.'
But I said, 'I have laboured in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the Lord,
and my reward with my God.'
And now the Lord says,
who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honoured in the sight of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength-
he says,
'It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.'
Devotional
----------
Israel as the Suffering Servant of God is described in these verses.
But, this is not just a description of Israel. The servant songs of
Isaiah look forward to a time when One would be born who would serve
the whole world through redemptive suffering. He would bring
enlightenment of the salvation of God. Christmas also celebrates the
fulfillment of the Suffering Servant promise.
Prayer
---------------
Thank you, Lord, for taking on my pain, guilt and sin. Amen
----------
Listen to me, O coastlands,
pay attention, you peoples from far away!
The Lord called me before I was born,
while I was in my mother's womb he named me.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me away.
And he said to me, 'You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.'
But I said, 'I have laboured in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the Lord,
and my reward with my God.'
And now the Lord says,
who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honoured in the sight of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength-
he says,
'It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.'
Devotional
----------
Israel as the Suffering Servant of God is described in these verses.
But, this is not just a description of Israel. The servant songs of
Isaiah look forward to a time when One would be born who would serve
the whole world through redemptive suffering. He would bring
enlightenment of the salvation of God. Christmas also celebrates the
fulfillment of the Suffering Servant promise.
Prayer
---------------
Thank you, Lord, for taking on my pain, guilt and sin. Amen