March 22, 2005

Called From Birth Is 49:1-6

Hear me, O islands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth,
from my mother's womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword
and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory.

Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, Yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now the LORD has spoken
who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him
and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD,
and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

"From my mother's womb he gave me my name." Called from birth to follow the ways of the Lord and to serve God. As the reading says there are times that in following the Lord it seems as if it is not to any benefit, then others when it is seen that there is a great reward for being faithful. It is a struggle to remain a light in the world at the times when I can not see the good coming from walking in God's ways. A part of the struggle is to accept that this is what is meant to be.