Verse
"Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations."
— Matthew 12:18 NIV
Thought
Matthew is quoting a prophecy from Isaiah 42, applying it to Jesus in a time of rising conflict. In spite of the conflict, Jesus refuses to stop ministering even though he was under intense scrutiny and faced fierce opposition. Instead, he takes his closest followers and teaches them his will and shares his healing grace with those who are in need. With God's approval and the power of the Holy Spirit upon him, he cares for the broken in the face of hostility and shares grace in the face of criticism. Through kindness, compassion, integrity, and passion, Jesus accomplishes what only Immanuel can do — he brings God's grace and social justice to all nations... and he can do it even under unfair scrutiny because the Father has empowered him through the Holy Spirit!
Prayer
O Father, we confess that we sometimes give into fear. We fear aging and illness. We fear the crazy swings in the economy. We fear the growing legal opposition to practicing our faith openly in our schools, at work, or online. We confess that when we fear these things, we forget that you are still at work in our world and in us. Give us courage and tenderness through the work of your Spirit within us so that we will minister as Jesus did, especially in times of opposition and hardship. In Jesus' name, we request this grace. Amen.
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
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"Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations."
— Matthew 12:18 NIV
Thought
Matthew is quoting a prophecy from Isaiah 42, applying it to Jesus in a time of rising conflict. In spite of the conflict, Jesus refuses to stop ministering even though he was under intense scrutiny and faced fierce opposition. Instead, he takes his closest followers and teaches them his will and shares his healing grace with those who are in need. With God's approval and the power of the Holy Spirit upon him, he cares for the broken in the face of hostility and shares grace in the face of criticism. Through kindness, compassion, integrity, and passion, Jesus accomplishes what only Immanuel can do — he brings God's grace and social justice to all nations... and he can do it even under unfair scrutiny because the Father has empowered him through the Holy Spirit!
Prayer
O Father, we confess that we sometimes give into fear. We fear aging and illness. We fear the crazy swings in the economy. We fear the growing legal opposition to practicing our faith openly in our schools, at work, or online. We confess that when we fear these things, we forget that you are still at work in our world and in us. Give us courage and tenderness through the work of your Spirit within us so that we will minister as Jesus did, especially in times of opposition and hardship. In Jesus' name, we request this grace. Amen.
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
