You are My Servant,
(your name goes here)
1 Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away! The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother's womb he named me. 2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away. 3 And he said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified." 4 But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my cause is with the Lord, and my reward with my God." 5 And now the Lord says, who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the sight of the Lord, and my God has become my strength— 6 he says, "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." 7 Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations, the slave of rulers, "Kings shall see and stand up, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."
Isaiah 49:1-7
So just who is this faithful servant that Isaiah writes about? Is it the nation and people of Israel (3)? Is it the future Messiah, for whom many had waited a lifetime for (7)? Or is it the prophet himself (1b-2), or some other prophet who was still to come? Interpretations are somewhat across the board on this; as many as there are theologians, scholars and pastors.
However, to bring this home to us, though, and into the realm of our daily living – to see and study it in the light of our times, and not leave it in the dust of a distant past - I want to suggest that whoever it is that the prophet may be speaking of, it is also about you and I, in the here and now. And that may not be as farfetched and as crazy an understanding, as some may first suspect.
For in a very real way, at least in my beliefs, God is very much still actively speaking to us in our time, and calling us all now, to bring the ways of God’s Kingdom into the light of our present world. That is; through a commitment to, and an understanding of, and a “living out” of God’s yearnings for us, as we can best glean from our sacred texts, then we are laboring with our Lord to usher in more fully this Kingdom that is our God’s.
And so I will take great liberties with this lectionary text and suggest that these words that flowed from the prophet’s lips could also announce to you and I today: "You are my servant, (your name goes here), in whom I will be glorified."
To respond to the Lord’s call to you, even from your mother’s womb, and to glorify your Creator in all that is said and done each moment of your days. To be a light and beacon of hope to others (and yes maybe even nations), and a guiding example of God’s desire for Life to everyone. What greater avocation can there be than that.
May I hear your voice – your calling – this day, this hour, this moment, merciful Lord. And more importantly, may I respond to that call in ways that bring glory and honor to You. May my life, from this time forth, be a faithful reflection of your Word and holiness.
In the name of my Savior I pray. Amen.
Rev. Michael Kirchhoff
