Tuesday 15th September 2020
Creation 2
Isaiah 42: 1 – 7
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.
Reflection
This is the first of four passages in Isaiah which are known as The Servant Songs. We exist only because God created us. We breath because we have been given air by God. As we have read of tens of thousands dying unable to breath because of Covid-19 we must appreciate our breath even more. More than just air to breath we are told by Isaiah that we have the Spirit as well.
Matthew quotes the first few verses and makes it clear that the servant is Jesus. It is Jesus who came as a light to the nations. Writing this during the lockdown when many people feel like prisoners in their own homes it is interesting that many churches have noticed a marked increase in the number attending online during this time. Are these people looking to be rescued from the dungeon of despair that they are in? How should we react as Christians as things return to some sort of normality? We should make sure that Jesus is seen as the light who can brighten the darkness of those who ask for help.
This light is not just for those who are new to the Church, but it is also for those who have been members for many years. We all need the same spirit to open our eyes and free us from whatever prison we feel we are in.
Times will still be different when you read this and the new normal may not be fully clear but what is clear is that the spirit Isaiah wrote about is timeless and unchanging. No matter what the situation is we should continue to live inhaling God’s grace and exhaling God’s love.
Prayer
Loving God
I thank you for all that you are
I thank you for the air I breathe
for the ground beneath my feet
Thank you for your Spirit who is with me today
Thank you for opening my eyes
Thank you for setting me free
Help me to enjoy the life you have given me
Help me to tell others how great You are
Let me praise and thank you in the name of Jesus
Amen