Light in a Dark Place

  I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. – Isaiah 49:6

Soren Kierkegaard was a 19th-century Danish philosopher, theologian, poet, social critic, and author. Though one may disagree with some of what he wrote, he may have been correct when he said, “Christian truth itself has eyes to see with. In fact, it is all eye. That’s very disquieting. Think of looking at a painting and discovering that the painting was looking at you. Precisely such is the case with Christian truth. It is looking back at me to see whether I do what it says I should do.”

Isaiah 49 is known as one of the Servant’s Songs, basically a message from the pre-incarnate Jesus. He was calling the people of Israel to listen to Him, just as He called the Jews when he came to Earth as the Messiah… and as He calls today. The early Jewish people often failed to listen, many of the people of the first century did not heed His words, and much of the world rejects Him today. Yet Jesus still calls to people, offering salvation and healing.

In Acts 3, Peter told the nation of Israel they had rejected God’s servant in ignorance. He said, “Repent and return.” Peter assured them that God would restore all things when Jesus returns. Later, Paul would tell Christians in Asia Minor that, although people had rejected Jesus, who is the Light of the World, God had made Paul and his fellow missionary Barnabas “lights for the Gentiles,” quoting from Isaiah 49.

God continues restoring all things to Himself as the time of Christ’s return draws nearer. Are you part of spreading the word of His restoration and of Jesus’ coming? Are you the light in a dark place that He has called you to be? You are a representative of Christ on this earth. Ask the Lord to guide you in being His servant, part of His saving message of restoration. Pray for believers serving in Congress to not “hide their lights under baskets” but to be faithful witnesses to the Lord’s call.