Isaiah 49:1-4

“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.’” vss. 3-4

Even as the people of Israel languished in their Babylonian exile, their prophet continued to assure them that collectively, they are still the servant of the Lord. So in this beautiful Servant Song he takes note of Israel’s long mostly futile history of sketchy obedience, and then reaffirms their continuing call. It’s a reminder that God doesn’t give up on those who have been chosen, even when it appears their labor has been in vain, and that’s certainly true for we who are called the Body of Christ. As the Christian Church there is much that we have done that has been fruitless and even contrary to the mission of Jesus. We have been caught up in struggles for power and glory. Our leaders have succumbed to political pressures and have adopted the ways of our broken world. We’ve engaged in crusades, supported slavery, and ignored the poor. In short our witness to the Way of Jesus has been a joke. Nevertheless, our call to be the hands and feet of God in the world is still in effect. Because we are loved unconditionally, the forgiveness and mercy of the Lord is our strength!

Thought for the Day: How does the Church get off track?