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His words were like a sharp arrow ready to pierce the heart. Israel would be his servant and he would be their master. But something was wrong. Their response was rejection! Though he came with strength to do great works, there was discouragement everywhere. This would be a human emotion our Savior could wholeheartedly relate to. Discouragement.
Read the first 7 verses carefully. As I dialed in to this chapter, I initially thought it was Isaiah who was the subject of this passage. However, it’s actually about Jesus. Read it again.
“It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth. “
Isaiah 49:6
Although there was hope promised, deep sorrow and anguish would overcome our Savior’s heart. He would weep for Israel.
“And when He approached, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.”
Luke 19:41-42
When we give our hearts to the mission of the Lord there will be heartache. In many ways, this anguish must increase in those who truly know God because they have received a glimpse of His heart for people. This is why we pray and fast. We dedicate our bodies as vessels to carry the burdens of others and see a greater revelation of God among us.
This is what Jesus did. He sacrificed. He didn’t let His disappointment with others affect His obedience to the Lord. It’s a beautiful and powerful image that we should follow relentlessly.