Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.
Isaiah 50:4-5 (NIV)
“The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed. The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears; I have not been rebellious, I have not turned away.”
Isaiah 50:4-5 (MSG)
“The Master, God, has given me a well-taught tongue, So I know how to encourage tired people. He wakes me up in the morning, wakes me up, opens my ears to listen as one ready to take orders. The Master, God, opened my ears, and I didn’t go back to sleep, didn’t pull the covers back over my head.”
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“The Lord God has given Me [His Servant] the tongue of disciples [as One who is taught], that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple [as One who is taught]. The Lord God has opened My ear, and I have not been rebellious nor have I turned back.” -AMPLIFIED
Yesterday’s text reminded us that Israel had willingly chosen to separate herself from God because she chooses to sin, instead of being obedient. When God came looking for His bride, she was nowhere to be found.
“When I came to you, why was no one there? When I called, why did no one answer?
Am I powerless to rescue you or too weak to deliver you? With only a threat I can evaporate the sea
and dry up the rivers as a desert, leaving the fish to rot and die of thirst. I dress the sky with darkness and shroud it with sackcloth.” -Isaiah 50:2-3 (The Passion Translation)
NOTE: Isaiah 50:4-9 is the third of the Servant Songs. The others can be found in Isaiah 42:1-9, Isaiah 49:1-13, and Isaiah 52:13-53:12. These Servant Songs describe for us the obedience, service, and suffering of the Messiah, the One who is the Faithful Servant.
The Faithful Servant of the Lord is God’s faithful and true Witness to all of humanity.
“The Lord, the Eternal, equipped me for this job—with skilled speech, a smooth tongue for instruction.
I can find the words that comfort and soothe the downtrodden, tired, and despairing. And I know when to use them. Each morning, it is God who wakes me and tells me what I should do, what I should say. The Lord, the Eternal, has helped me to listen, and I do as He says. I have not been rebellious or run away from God’s work.” -(VOICE)
We find the Faithful Servant declaring to the World that Yahweh has equipped Him and prepared Him for service. We will see that His tongue and ears are singled out as being obedient to the voice of the Lord. The Faithful Servant proclaims:
“Adonai Elohim has given me the ability to speak words of wisdom. Words that will lift up the weary of heart and encourage the downtrodden. Morning by morning, He awakens my heart, preparing me for the service for that day. Yahweh has opened my ears to hear clearly, so that I can do His bidding, and not resist or rebel against Him.”
“The Lord God has given me his words of wisdom so that I may know what I should say to all these weary ones. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will. The Lord God has spoken to me, and I have listened; I do not rebel nor turn away.” -(TLB)
“The measure of a men’s greatness is not the number of servants he has, but the number of people he serves.” ~John Hagee
Jesus told His disciples that He came to be a Servant.
“It’s the same way with the Son of Man. He didn’t come so that others could serve him. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people.” -Mark 10:45 (GW)
Paul reminded the Philippians that they were to have the same mindset that Jesus did, one of a servants. His words apply to us as well.
“And consider the example that Jesus, the Anointed One, has set before us. Let his mindset become your motivation. He existed in the form of God, yet he gave no thought to seizing equality with God as his supreme prize. Instead he emptied himself of his outward glory by reducing himself to the form of a lowly servant. He became human! He humbled himself and became vulnerable, choosing to be revealed as a man and was obedient. He was a perfect example, even in his death—a criminal’s death by crucifixion!” -Philippians 2:5-8 (The Passion Translation)
What can we learn from the Faithful Servant in this passage, which we can apply to our own lives?
1.) God gives the ability to speak wisely, and for good reason, to speak words of encouragement and hope to the weary.
“You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called “today.” If you don’t, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn.” -Hebrews 3:13 (CEV)
2.) God awakens our heart and our ears to learn His ways. His mercy and love are new every morning.
“Yet there is one ray of hope: his compassion never ends. It is only the Lord’s mercies that have kept us from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his loving-kindness begins afresh each day. My soul claims the Lord as my inheritance; therefore I will hope in him.” -Lamentations 3:21-24 (TLB)
3.) God expects quick obedience, not resistance and rebellion from His servants.
“Do what God’s teaching says; do not just listen and do nothing. When you only sit and listen, you are fooling yourselves. A person who hears God’s teaching and does nothing is like a man looking in a mirror. He sees his face, then goes away and quickly forgets what he looked like. But the truly happy person is the one who carefully studies God’s perfect law that makes people free. He continues to study it. He listens to God’s teaching and does not forget what he heard. Then he obeys what God’s teaching says. When he does this, it makes him happy.” -James 1:22-25 (ICB)
“The authority figures of the outsiders play this game, flexing their muscles in competition for power over one another, masking their quest for domination behind words like “benefactor” or “public servant.” But you must not indulge in this charade. Instead, among you, the greatest must become like the youngest and the leader must become a true servant. Who is greater right here as we eat this meal—those of us who sit at the table, or those who serve us? Doesn’t everyone normally assume those who are served are greater than those who serve? But consider My role among you. I have been with you as a servant.” ~Jesus (Luke 22:25-27 VOICE)
My friend, we are to follow the example of Jesus, who was the Faithful Servant. Let us remember our place, we are servants of the Most, High God, and as such, our job is to be obedient to do His bidding. This would include, but not be limited to encouraging the weary and downtrodden. To listen to His Voice, and to learn His ways. To be doers of His Word, and not hearers only. To be faithful to carry out His commands.
“I shall pass through this world but once. Any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” ~Henry Drummond
My Prayer:
Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, I am your servant. I ask you help me to follow the example of The Faithful Servant, your Son, Jesus. Remind me that morning by morning you awaken me and open my understanding to your will and your ways. Help me to be quick to obedience. Give me words of encouragement and hope to impart to those in need, Lord. Please, allow me to be your servant, always humble and true to you. Thank you, Lord.
Growing with God 