S) "6 He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel;
I will also make You a light of the nations
So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.'"
Isaiah 49:6 (NASB)
O) God's grace is not new. Isaiah was the messianic prophet, so a very large number of his writings were prophecies about Jesus Christ. In this verse, God is declaring to Jesus, through Isaiah, that the salvific work He will do is not only for the Jews, but also for the Gentiles. It was God's plan all along, that His grace would extend to all mankind. After all, Adam was not an Israelite, Noah was not an Israelite, even Abraham was not an Israelite. Most of this topic is covered thoroughly in the book of Hebrews, and there isn't much I can add to that (conversationally; I can add nothing scripturally/canonically). But this verse stood out because it is a clear example that God's plan for redemption was not haphazard or capricious, but deliberate and foreknown.
A) More than anything else, this verse drives me to thanksgiving. I screw up all of the time, and often in Christian circles we think about verses like Romans 5:8 and draw a lot of comfort from that (and rightfully so). However, this verse in Isaiah drives the point home even harder. God's grace for me, as an individual, began much, much further ago. It didn't start with Christ's resurrection, or with His sacrifice on the cross. It didn't start with the birth of Jesus, either. It's weird to think that what happened 2000 years ago is recent, but when I think about how far back God's plan of my salvation was, realizing that 2000 years ago wasn't even the beginning of His plan, I am truly awestruck and humbled and thankful.
P) Father, I have sinned against You, and I confess and repent of my sins. As I do that, I am humbled and thankful for Your grace in Your mercy. Your plan for my salvation, Your plan to substitute Your own Son in my place of punishment, it was thousands and thousands of years in the making. I will forever praise You for the awesome God You are. I will glorify Your name for the grace and mercy I have received. I will worship You, in humble thanks, for Your compassion and lovingkindness, which overwhelmed me in my sin. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment