Lenten Daily Reflection 2021-03-29
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Isaiah 42. 1-7
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. He will
not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he
will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully
bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has
established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
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: 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, to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in
darkness.
I see this passage as a message of hope and encouragement. It strikes me that the Lord is introducing us, His servants, as His proud creation. He has created us and given us strength and ability to work to accomplish His will on earth. He describes the humility overlying the power and the sensitivity we have to work to accomplish justice. He has confidence that his creation will continually work to establish justice. He then tells us that he will support us in this important effort. He wants us to strive to establish justice for all, following his teachings. He especially encourages us to be confident in this course and to strive to educate our fellow humans while working for the downtrodden. As was most passages, it contains solid general principles as well as timely encouragement in light of our current omnipresent inequalities and undercurrent of inexplicable hatred. Once again, overall the message to me is: hope and encouragement.