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This is what God the Lord says –
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
    who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
    who gives breath to its people,
    and life to those who walk on it:
⁶ ‘I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
    I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
    to be a covenant for the people
    and a light for the Gentiles,
⁷ to open eyes that are blind,
    to free captives from prison
    and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

‘God, in giving us Christ, has with him freely given us all the blessings of the new covenant.’ Matthew Henry.

As Henry goes on to say, here are two of the great New Covenant blessings (and note they are not limited to Jews only. They are for the whole world): light and liberty. By the power of the gospel, blind eyes are opened, and captives are released. It is ”the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” Romans 1:16. Jesus changes lives. He gives people testimonies.

With regard to light see, e,g., Mt.4:16; Jn.3:19; Acts 26:18.

We must believe that even in these increasingly secular/pagan days God can transform people. There is an irony that people want liberty to live as they choose, without any divine interference. But the very freedom they opt for actually ties them up. It puts handcuffs on them and leaves them to wallow in the darkness of their cells. Many are ignorant that they live in a dungeon, but the reality is they do. We rejoice then that ”…if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” John 8:36.

‘I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
    I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you…

While pursuing a particular branch of theological study, in college, we began to look at ‘the religious life of Jesus.’ This was a bit of an eye-opener for me, to recognise that, as a Man, as a human-being, Jesus walked with God. He prayed; He regularly spent time communing with the Father; He acted on what He was shown; He was immersed in the Scriptures; He attended the synagogue frequently. As someone put it, we see in Him regular ‘habits of devotion’.

May we, as those in Christ, also walk hand in Hand with the Father. We may not be able to call Him ”my Father” in the way Jesus could, but we certainly can say ”Our Father”.

”He promises to stand by him and strengthen him in it, to hold his hand, not only to his work, but in it, to hold his hand, that it might not shake, that it might not fail, and so to keep him. When an angel was sent from heaven to strengthen him in his agonies, and the Father himself was with him, then this promise was fulfilled. Note, Those whom God calls he will own and help, and will hold their hands.” Matthew Henry.

Jesus, the Messiah, was no imposter, no intruder into the role. He was indeed called by God:

 ”And no one takes this honour on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.

⁵ In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him…” Hebrews 5:4,5.

Take heart. Those whom God calls He also equips.

God’s Message,
    the God who created the cosmos, stretched out the skies,
    laid out the earth and all that grows from it,
Who breathes life into earth’s people,
    makes them alive with his own life: The Message.

We only breathe because God gives us breath; we only live because He generously gives us His life.

Our Creator is also our Sustainer.

The ‘deists’ effectively believed that God wound up the universe and left it to tick like a clock. It was a case of, ‘You’re on your own now.’ God made it, but He wasn’t involved in maintaining it. But this is not the picture painted by the Bible. In the Scriptures we discover that, the Lord, having made the universe, is intimately engaged in all the fine details of running it. This includes our personal lives.

One of Matthew Henry’s points in his pattern for prayer (1.11) says:

‘I must acknowledge my dependence upon God and my obligations to him as my Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor.’

Indeed, Henry writes regarding today’s verse: ‘Now this is prefixed to God’s covenant with the Messiah, and the commission given him to show that the work of redemption was to restore man to the allegiance he owes to God as his Maker.’

”The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” Job 33:4.

Prayer: I found it helpful to use these words in forming prayers for people I know who need God’s healing. May His life in them overcome, and chase out, every manifestation of sickness and death.

This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
    who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
    who gives breath to its people,
    and life to those who walk on it:

A day or two ago I pruned the roses in our garden at Carlton-in-Coverdale. We are situated close to 1,000 feet above sea level, and it can be quite wild and generally colder by a degree or two here. During the summer months, I have marvelled at the growth and beauty of these plants, and their resilience. But at times I have also fretted over them, even as I have continued to tend and nurture them. For the most part it’s been a wet, and extremely windy summer. But with the return of a spell of warmth and sunshine in September, they were back in strength and size and colour: fiercely and stubbornly alive, and blazing forth their startling colours.

However, I knew it was now time to cut them back. As of today, things look quite bare in places where there was a riot of bloom only a few weeks ago. But of this I feel certain, next year, at the right time, they will ‘spring’ up again.

I was captivated by the line in today’s verse which says, ”…the earth with all that springs from it…”

God has so set up this world that it is filled with abundant, teeming, raging, tenaciously reproductive life. You need look no further than your garden, with its annual cycle of death and resurrection, to wonder at the greatness of the Creator, and to catch a breath-taking glimpse of the gospel.

This is what God the Lord says—

Do you know what God is saying to you? Furthermore, if you do, what is your response? After all, if it’s ”God the Lord” speaking, ”See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks” (Hebs.12:25); ”Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebs.4:7b).

God has many ways of speaking to us, but He does so predominantly through the Scriptures. Also, by a ‘still small voice” within.

In order to hear God speak, first and foremost we must read His Word, the Bible (although, again and again we will find it is reading us).

Let’s also be alert for that prophetic word the Holy Spirit speaks into the heart. It will always ride tandem with God’s Word. It won’t veer off in another direction. This is how we can check what we think we’re hearing. God will not contradict Himself.

When I read these words from Isaiah 42:5a during a recent prayer time, it prompted me to pray for neighbours, friends and family, that they will hear God speaking to them. I very much want to pray for them, and keep on praying, but I confess there are days when when I feel weary and exhausted, and I wonder if anything will ever change. I guess you may also get to that place at times. But I remind myself that God can meet with anyone, anywhere at any time, and speak to them, and reveal Himself to them in all His majesty and greatness.

Come to think of it, isn’t that why you and I are in the Kingdom?!!

PRAYER: Lord God, as the old hymn says, ”Speak with the voice that wakes the dead, and make the people hear. Revive your work O, Lord…”

^1-4 “Take a good look at my servant.
    I’m backing him to the hilt.
He’s the one I chose,
    and I couldn’t be more pleased with him.
I’ve bathed him with my Spirit, my life.
    He’ll set everything right among the nations.
He won’t call attention to what he does
    with loud speeches or gaudy parades.
He won’t brush aside the bruised and the hurt
    and he won’t disregard the small and insignificant,
    but he’ll steadily and firmly set things right.
He won’t tire out and quit. He won’t be stopped
    until he’s finished his work—to set things right on earth.
Far-flung ocean islands
    wait expectantly for his teaching.” The Message.

At the close of this week, and as we come to the end of looking at verses 1-4, I would simply like to invite you to review the passage above. It is presented here in ‘The Message’ version. Reflect on which part of it speaks to you most at this time, and consider why this is. Find a way to turn it into prayer today, and give thanks for Jesus.

In his teaching the islands will put their hope.

Far-flung ocean islands
    wait expectantly for his teaching. The Message.

Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction. New Living Translation.

John Wesley famously said, ‘The world is my parish.’

I have a vivid memory of being in the ‘Millmead Centre’ (Guildford Baptist Church) one evening, when David Pawson was pastor. In his prayer he said, ‘Lord, help us to live on a world map.’ That is such a great prayer when you think that the Messiah’s ministry extends to the nations. Jesus came not just to Israel, and for Israel, but for the world (see John 3:16).

‘God had an only Son and He made Him a missionary.’ David Livingstone.

“The mark of a great church is not its seating capacity, but its sending capacity.” – Mike Stachura

“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.
² He will not shout or cry out,
    or raise his voice in the streets.
³ A bruised reed he will not break,
    and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
⁴     he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.

As a leader, one of your greatest battles will be with yourself. The struggle is likely to be pretty relentless, and it will be experienced at a number of levels. But one of the greatest of these challenges will be to keep going in the face of discouragement.

We often comment that ‘there is so much injustice in the world.’ There clearly is, and it is of tragic proportions. Furthermore, the fight against it is like playing ‘whack a mole’ on a momentous scale. Someone may be able to bang some injustice on the head here, but then a different form pops up over there. I was reflecting on Wilberforce’s long, enduring campaign to abolish slavery (and what discouragements he faced along the road). But today, there are probably more contemporary forms of slavery than ever.

Jesus, the Messiah, is bringing in a Kingdom of total justice, where there is fairness for all. He knows He will do it. So in spite of every demonic push-back against the forward movement of divine justice in the world, He ”will not falter or be discouraged”. Mid-match, it may appear, at times, that He’s on the losing side. But He knows He’s not! The game isn’t over, and He knows the final score. ‘There’s no discouragement, will make him once relent…’

‘Our motto must continue to be perseverance’ William Wilberforce

”May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance” (2 Thess.3:5).

‘By perseverance the snail made it to the ark.’ C.H.Spurgeon

He will not shout or cry out,
    or raise his voice in the streets.
³ A bruised reed he will not break,
    and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.

How beautiful! There is no razamatazz about the Servant of the Lord’s ministry (unlike much of what we see today, sadly). Also, He is gentle with people, not domineering. Lord Jesus, please reproduce these characteristics in me, and in all who serve you.

‘Verse 3 (quoted in Matthew 12:20) has been a great comfort to believers down through the centuries. We often face times in our lives when we feel bruised, when our spirits are smouldering, almost burnt out, times when we feel that just one more blow would break us completely. If we will but turn to Christ at such times, we can be sure He will not allow us to suffer more than we can endure. We can be sure that whatever we experience will be for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28),’ Tom Hale: ‘Applied Old Testament Commentary’, p.1041.

‘Be kind, everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.’ Whoever said this, (and it is a matter of debate), I’m sure we recognise the truth in it. Christian leaders, of all people, should exemplify God’s kindness (2 Sam 9:1).