April 19th - Reflection

Tuesday in Holy Week
Isaiah 49:1-7 (NRSV)
The servant brings salvation to earth's ends
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.
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.
And he said to me, "You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified."
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."

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 --
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."

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."

Reflection
God has a plan in place.
There is a conquest taking place.
We each serve and have a purpose.

Yet we each have a choice in that plan and purpose.

And the Father has a Son.
A Son driven by the Spirit.
All in a conquest of service.

Service in love.
Service in action.
Service to the least.

Jesus came to save.
Jesus gives you life.
Jesus served up his life for yours.

Will you take up this life?
Will you follow Jesus?
Will you serve yourself to God?

Serve in love to God.
Serve in love to your neighbor.
Serve in  joy of new life.

God has a conquest in love.
God has a conquest in service.
God has come to save.

Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, we come this day and sing a servant song. We see how Jesus served as a servant and follow his lead. Thanks for new life. Thanks for the life of Jesus. Thanks for salvation. What joy there is in the morning. What joy there is in service. What joy there is to see you in the face of another. Thanks for the joy of serving. --- Amen