Isaiah 52:7-10; Revelation 21:22-27; Matthew 12:14-21
Each year at this time, daylight slowly creeps longer. However, light can be a paradox—at the same time encouraging and discouraging. Light allows a glimpse of what has passed and of what lies ahead, bringing joy and at times, despair.
Isaiah’s prophecy gives clarity to God’s reign, using the nature of light by pointing straight-away to Jesus Christ as the true light to the nations. Jesus, the Lamb of God, is the lamp that lights our path forward when life gets messy. Like the ‘reeds,’ we too get bruised and are deemed worthless. Death, illness, and injustice can nearly extinguish our lamp. Disciples of Christ bear the scars of life all too well. But we persevere in the knowledge that in the end,
Jesus promises healing and that gives us hope.
What is hope if not shared? The voice of the prophet challenges us to share the good news of salvation through Jesus. Isaiah 52 invites us to bring good tidings, to proclaim peace and salvation to the world. God has chosen you to be the instrument of proclaiming the good news of salvation to the ends of the earth and He is with you. Fill your lamp and go!
Prayer: O Lord, may we always see you at work in our lives, and be granted the courage to act boldly and invite others to follow you. Amen.
Today’s devotion was written by David J. Smith, Chaplain, Indiana Department of Correction, Pendleton, IN.