My servant will bring justice
by Pastor Steve Liersch
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Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations (Isaiah 42:1).
Around 700 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah shared God’s plan of salvation for his people. Isaiah 42:1–9 is the first of four ‘servant songs’ that tell what the promised Messiah would do for God’s people and the world.
When my children were born, I had no idea what they would be doing as adults. As parents, we can only encourage them to learn at school to go on and develop some interests later in life. Only God would tell his chosen nation Israel, and through Isaiah, the world what his chosen Servant (Jesus, the Messiah) would do centuries later.
What I like about God’s part in fulfilling these words is how active he was in various ways. ‘My chosen one in whom I delight.’ God will, and does, delight in those who seek to do his will and partner with him in his mission here on earth.
God also ‘put [his] Spirit on him’ to ensure he wasn’t alone. Did you notice that? Don’t gloss over what God did for his Servant. Don’t speed-read this devotion until you have pondered longer over what he gave you through the waters of your baptism, ‘put his Spirit on you’. While Jesus the Messiah had the ultimate task of bringing God’s justice, righteousness and salvation into our world for us, God gave him all he needed. God will also give you all you need to be his servant too.
God empowered his Servant to ‘bring justice to the nations’. Justice was served when Jesus went to the cross on our behalf, taking the punishment for our sins upon himself. Jesus did what we could never have possibly done ourselves.
Reflect on being called God’s servant. What would you like the Holy Spirit to provide for you, like he provided for Jesus?
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for giving the world your Son Jesus as the most amazing servant. Fill me anew with your Holy Spirit so that I can serve you and my community better. Amen.
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