Isaiah 42:1-4 (NIV)
1 “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.
In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”
Reflection
When we hear the word “servant”, we may think of a maid or butler who cooks, cleans and take cares of the house, like in the recent movie “The Help.” However, the “servant” in Isaiah encompasses much more than just serving a master. Isaiah is prophesying of the servant of the Lord who will bring God’s justice with compassion and hope. When Jesus was baptized and the Spirit descended upon Him, it was in this way that Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophesy – He is the one that God upheld, delighted in, and chose, and empowered by the Spirit to establish justice on earth.
Response
Jesus, who did not shout out for attention or establish justice by force, is the Servant of the Lord. He humbled Himself and came to save and serve the bruised reeds and smoldering wicks, such as us. When we see who Jesus really is and what He has done, we see how worthy He is of all our worship. Let’s give thanks and praise to God, and worship the Lord, for He came to save and serve us.
