Monday 03 April 2023
- Bible Book:
- Isaiah
'Here is my servant, whom I upheld, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have put my spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice.' (v. 1)
Background
Readings from Isaiah are commonplace in the lectionary for Holy Week and many, like this one, are in poetic form. In today’s reading the servant is announced – a servant who will carry out God’s will and who will do new things. The figure of the servant in these verses is left unidentified, but for Christians living after the life, death and resurrection of Jesus it is easy to identify the servant with Jesus.
The servant, whether of ancient times or as a contemporary reality is whoever does the transformative work of God in the world. It is the Spirit of God who equips the servant to do the seemingly impossible, to bring about a new reality and true justice thus making a new quality of life available to people.
It is also interesting to note how the servant will act. In verses 2 and 3 we read that justice will be brought about gently, carefully and in a compassionate manner. The servant will respect people who are weak, fragile or on the margins. The latter part of the passage makes it clear that the servant is God’s servant tasked with carrying out God's will and purpose. It is the God of creation and of the Exodus who works and wills a transformed world and the servant is the agent of that transformation.
We need to remember that this text is an announcement from God to exiles. This passage holds a vision of a new future that the exiles could not imagine. It is a passage inviting those who are cast down and in despair to a new hope rooted in the timeless purposes of God.
To Ponder:
- 'Servant’ is a word which is also used of Jesus as well as of Isaiah’s ‘servant.’ Do we see ‘servant leadership’ at work around us in the Church or more widely?
- The servant in this passage will bring about justice. The Methodist Church is focused currently on what it means to be a Church committed to justice. What constitutes ‘justice’ for you?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we pray for all in leadership positions, in the Church, in the political world and in business and the media. May they exercise their leadership well, respecting the people they lead and seeking justice for all. Amen.