Image from jimknaggs.com
Hear Here: http://bit.ly/2N3Lmr1. Today's podcast is linked to an older one; fast forward to get to it. (Sorry!)
1 Here 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. 2 He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; 3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. 4 He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching. 5 Thus 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: 6 I 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, 7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8 I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols. 9 See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them. (Isaiah 42:1-9 NRSV)
Dear Friend, if God would come to you in a dream or vision and tell you that a loved one now in His presence would be allowed a 2-hour visit to your home, what would you do? I don't know about you, but I would prepare their favorite meal. I would not even consider serving my Mother or Father left-overs, or fast food! I would serve them only the best and I would treasure each moment, every bite, and the conversation that I have been wanting to have ever since they departed. I would also want to listen as closely as possible to what they had to say. I can tell you now that two hours would not be enough, but who among us would reject that offer? My parents mattered to me and what mattered to them mattered to me as well.
I preached that question some years ago during a stewardship campaign, and I asked more pointedly, if you could welcome your mother or father back from Heaven, what would you do? Some of us would love to prepare their favorite foods, and no one in their right mind would offer them left-overs or fast food. We would give them our best. In the same way, God walks among us and what do we offer Him? Left-overs or fast food? What we need to be reminded of are the things that matter to God.
Family. The prophet shares in this short passage what he knows matters to God. We start with family, for God's Son matters to God. And give Him whatever name, Jesus is Son and Servant to God.
Soul. God's soul matters to Him. Delight in His soul to be more direct. Jesus in His faithfulness and dedication to God makes God's soul delight. And guess what? When we do what God wants, we delight His soul as well.
Spirit. God's third person is the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who guides us to faithfulness, and true faithfulness is helping to bring justice to all people.
Justice. Fairness and equality for all people is justice. Treating and welcoming all people the same is justice. Not believing oneself to be better than others is justice. A just person treads carefully over every aspect of creation.
Steadfastness. Being committed to God's ideals and laws matters to God. We are called to never waver or falter. If we commit to justice, we live being just people and we will not give up until we are called before Him to give an account of what we did and who we were.
Righteousness. To walk with God and to be guided by God is to walk in righteousness. That simply means that we are called to do and be right. It is a higher calling to a better and higher way of life. Before I could even read the Bible, my Mom would say, "The road that leads to the bad place (she didn't want me learning the word "hell.") is full of roses and kinds of flowers, and it is a very wide road. The road that leads to God is full of stickers (thorns) and is very narrow." It was a simple story that stayed with me. I know now it is the road of righteousness.
Trust. There is no one we can trust other than God. The image spoken by the prophet is the image of God having taken us by the hand (that's trust) and keeping us with Him.
Covenant. That's another, more holy word, for contract, where the Party of the First Part is God, and the Party of the Second Part is You and Me. The big difference is that God never forfeits or withdraws from His part of the deal.
Restoration. God loves nothing more than for His people to be made whole and restored; the blind are able to see. The prisoners are set free from whatever jail cell or prison is holding him in. From darkness to light, the oppressed are set free, right into the light.
Newness. God seeks to have us made new. The old things, the old selves are made new, by Him!
Life. God's invitation is to leave an old life and to enter into a new one. One that will never end.
Us. We matter to God. Accept that and rejoice.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, in a few weeks, we will sit (or kneel) at Your table. Really we are on that journey towards that meal even now. Share with me what I need to hear and as I pray my thought prayers, let me share with You what I need. This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Let me share my life with God and with God's people.
Receive my blessings of peace and love,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
