SEPTEMBER 18, 2024
READ: Isaiah 42 (Focus vs. 1-7)
MEMORY VERSE
“A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.” Isaiah 42:3
BACKGROUND
When I give our beautiful, fluffy Norwegian Forest cat, Mystique, belly rubs and play with her, or when she falls asleep on my lap in the evening, it’s sometimes hard to believe that she’s the same cat we met years ago.
Mystique used to live on the streets, underweight and fearful of everyone. But that gradually changed as I started putting out food for her each day. One day she finally let me pet her, and the rest is history.
Mystique’s transformation is a reminder of the healing that can come with patience and love. It reminds me of God’s heart as described in Isaiah 42. There, we’re told of a coming servant filled with His Spirit (v. 1), who would tirelessly and “in faithfulness” work to establish God’s “justice on earth” (vv. 3-4).
But that servant—Jesus (Matthew 12:18-20)—wouldn’t bring God’s justice through violence or pursuit of power. Instead, He’d be quiet and gentle (Isaiah 42:2), tenderly and patiently caring for those discarded by others—those “bruised” and wounded (v. 3).
God never gives up on His children. He has all the time in the world to care for our wounded hearts, until they finally begin to heal. Through His gentle, patient love we gradually learn to love and trust once more.
By: Monica La Rose
INSIGHT
Isaiah 42:1-7 is an encouraging passage in the prophetic writings. It contains images and metaphors that reveal the patient and loving nature of the “servant” of God (v. 1).
The servant of God is the one who carries out His mission of redemption and restoration. But we also see the split identity of the servant. Verses 1-4 are commonly understood to refer to a single individual, the predicted Messiah, fulfilled in the person of Jesus.
Some commentators believe that verses 5-7 turn from an individual servant to a corporate servant, the nation of Israel, who will be “a light for the Gentiles” (v. 6).
Both passages describe the same gracious God whose servant(s) doesn’t “crush the weakest reed” (v. 3 nlt) and who can “open the eyes of the blind” (v. 7 nlt).
By: J.R. Hudberg
APPLICATION
How have you seen transformation through patient love? How can you grow in experiencing and sharing God’s love?
PR’s RE-EMPHASIS (From Post)
“God never gives up on His children. He has all the time in the world to care for our wounded hearts, until they finally begin to heal. Through His gentle, patient love we gradually learn to love and trust once more.”
PR’s (PASTOR RICHARD) TAKE
“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5
He doesn’t give up on us because His reputation is at stake more than ours. pr
PRAYER
‘Dear God, thank You for never giving up on me and for patiently loving and caring for my wounded heart. Please help me love others with that same patient love.”
TODAY’S HYMN/WORSHIP/PRAISE/GOSPEL SONG
“HE SAW THE BEST IN ME” Marvin Sapp
He saw the best in me
When everyone else around
Could only see the worst in me
Can I tell y’all one more time? One more time?
I said He saw the best in me
When everyone else around me
Could only see the worst in me
I wish I had a witness tonight, all I need is one
He saw the best in me
When everyone else around me
Could only see the worst in me
Does anybody have their testimony?
When folks wrote you off
Said you would never make it
What did He see?
He saw the best in (you)
When everyone else around me
When everyone else around,
Could only see the worst in me…
Can I tell you all one more thing?
I just need to tell you one more thing, listen to this
See, He’s mine, and I am his
It doesn’t matter what I did
He only sees me for who I am
Does anyone know that tonight?
See He is mine, and I am his
Said it doesn’t matter what I did
See, He only sees me for who I am
Help me sing it
Said He is mine
(He is mine)
Said it doesn’t matter what I did
He only sees me for who I am
He is mine, I am his…
I am so glad that he is mine…
He saw the best in me
When everyone else around
Could only see the worst in me
I wish I had a witness…
Can I ask ya’ll one question?
The question is simply this
What did He see?
(He saw the best)
I can’t get no help up in here…
There’s some folk in here that
People have wrote you off
Said you would never amount to anything
Said that you would never end up being anywhere
But Myron, tell ’em one more time,
What did He see?
He saw the best
When momma said you would never be nothin’
When aunties and uncles said
You would never amount to anything
When daddy didn’t come home anymore
He didn’t look at you and say…
You weren’t going to make it
God looked at you and what did he see,
What did he see?
He saw the best, the best
What did he see?
The best
I said, what did he see?
The best…
The best
READING THROUGH THE BIBLE THIS YEAR” (DAILY)
ROMANS 1
