Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Seventh Day of Christmas

Posted on December 31, 2018 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: Isaiah 42:1-9 (NKJV)
 
42:1 “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. 2 He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. 4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law.”
 
5 Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it: 6 “I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles, 7 to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house.
 
8 I am the LORD, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images. 9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
 
Devotion
 
The Servant of the Lord, Jesus Christ, gave us a profound example when He fulfilled these words from Isaiah. He did bring forth justice, but not as a worldly king, charging on horseback with a sword in His hand. He brought it by humbly walking (or riding on a donkey) on the path of obedience to His calling to preach and teach in the region of the world where He became man. He did not cry out or raise His voice in the street as some self-important celebrity; He came to help and to serve. And He did not do it with passive aggression or manipulative bullying, which are often the methods used by people in our current culture. He spoke the truth, did what was truly helpful, stood against liars and prideful false leaders, and kept the focus on God’s will and work.
 
The will and work of the Lord is about us, but it is not about glorifying ourselves in a worldly way. Being a Christian does not mean going around trying to impose moral justice on everyone, especially in ways that seek to show others how pious we think we are. The Lord’s will and work is to glorify us in Jesus Christ and the forgiveness that He alone brings. It is about us, but it is focused on Christ crucified, our Lord and God who gave Himself to help and save us.
 
We pray: Almighty and Everlasting God, direct our actions according to Thy good pleasure, that in the name of Thy beloved Son we may be made to abound in good works; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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