Scripture Reading(s)
Isaiah 49:1-7
49:1 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.
49:2 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.
49:3 And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
49:4 But I said, “I have labored 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.”
49:5 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 honored in the sight of the LORD, and my God has become my strength-
49:6 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.”
49:7 Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations, the slave of rulers, “Kings shall see and stand up, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
Reflections
The author of Psalm 49 has a few parts where it turns prophetic in nature. When a Psalm turns prophetic it’s usually because the author is speaking for the Lord. In verses 6 & 7 the worlds being spoke are by “he” and “the Lord”. What does the Lord have to say through the Psalmist? In verse 6, the Lord has a specific reminder for the nation of Israel that still rings true today.
“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.”
The Lord has been telling Israel over and over again through the words of the prophets, and Moses, and even the Psalms; “you will be my messenger to the nations. You will be the light bearers to all foreigners and those who are not called by my name.” This is no trifling matter.
Being a Christian is not just to be a follower of Christ, we must also be the messengers in the darkness. We might not hide the light that we have through the Lord. We must share the gospel with those who do not know it. For a long time in the USA we have become lazy because we have so many Christians and churches here. But things have changed. Many many Americans no longer go to church. Many do not know anything about the gospel. It is our job to share the love of Christ with these people. Do not assume they learned it growing up.
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