Isaiah 61:1-3
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to provide for those who mourn in Zion—to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory. Isaiah 61:1-3 (NRSVUE)
What an overwhelming task and responsibility given to Jesus to share the teaching, blessing and compassion of God throughout the land. So many people had been through tremendous trials at the time; some as results of their choices, yet others at no fault of their own. Nevertheless, to be anointed by God to lead this task had to be daunting. It just makes me wonder if Jesus ever had doubt, or if he just got to work?
I’ve been thinking about how this applies to our day-to-day lives. When I read through these verses and all of the examples given, I’m immediately inserting either current individuals or groups of people in today’s world into each of these situations. I also realize that there are individuals or groups of people trying to help solve each of these folks' challenges. In the roles we each fulfill in our homes, churches, friendships or work environments, we should be positive examples of God’s teachings for others. We may or may not be in position to help address all issues that we see, but we can start by doing one thing, for one person, one day at a time. When you stack good days, on top of good days, on top of good days you become the hope and the light for those who may be in some sort of darkness. Share God’s good news, comfort those who mourn, offer hope, and when in doubt, just show up.
I would like to think that Jesus did not have doubt and just got to work. I envision Jesus starting with one person, and then another, and then larger and larger groups until the word of God was being spread all throughout the land. If we can each be a positive example of living our lives with Grace, understanding, openness, kindness, and love with just one person at a time, then imagine all of the cumulative good that can be accomplished by the people of God in our world. So today, tomorrow and everyday moving forward, show up and be a beacon of light. Amen.
Questions for Reflection:
- Do you know someone who might need to hear or be reminded of God’s teachings?
- How can you be present for one person in need?
Prayer:
Dear God,
What a challenge these verses give to Jesus and to all of us as his disciples. Guide us to look for ways to share the good news of your teachings, and remind us to recognize those in our lives who need us today, tomorrow and always.
Amen
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