Isaiah 50: 4-9 (The Message)

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. I followed orders, stood there and took it while they beat me, held steady while they pulled out my beard, didn't dodge their insults, faced them as they spit in my face. And the Master, God, stays right there and helps me, so I am not disgraced. Therefore I set my face like flint confident that I will never regret this. My champion is right here. Let's take our stand together! Who dares bring suit against me? Let him try! Look! the Master, God, is right here. Who would dare call me guilty? Look! My accusers are a clothes bin of threadbare socks and shirts, fodder for moths!

 How often do we wake up in the morning knowing that there is something important we have to do. Something that is not just important to us, but something that effects those around us. Most often these people are our family or our closest friends. So we wake up with this knowledge and hit the snooze button because what difference can nine more minutes make!? I am guilty of this. For our narrator it would mean our salvation. He wakes up in the morning knowing this it is God's will for him to be crushed. He knows that he is going to be punished for what has been done and what has yet to be done, by us. He is going to be beaten, mocked, spat upon, and humiliated beyond recognition. Yet he gets up in the morning ready to obey. He willingly does what God expects of him. He sets an example. He listens with open ears never failing to complete the task before him. He does this faithfully knowing that God is there by his side. He does not hide his face and is not ashamed thought they try to break him. He bleeds yet we reap the rewards. He suffers yet we live. He is faithful yet we close our ears to the suffering around us.  

We need to walk together down this path for righteousness sake. We need to remember that even through the toughest time that God is here. He will never leave us. Let us lead by this example. Let us never lose sight of what is important. Let us not give power to those who would mock us. Let us open our eyes and ears looking forward to the ultimate sacrifice. Remembering that only through death can we have life. 

Rebecca Parker
bec1971@msn.com