Scripture: Isaiah 49:6 – “[The Lord] says, ‘It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’” (NRSVue)
It is hard to understand the scope of Jesus’ salvation amid our own problems. It is difficult to see the forest for the trees when you are hanging on for dear life to stop falling out the tree. But no matter how big your challenges are, Jesus is always greater.
Sections of the Book of Isaiah depict a time when God was preparing the exiled Jews a way to return home to the land of Israel. The Book speaks of a “servant” who will bring justice and salvation to the people. If you put aside for a moment the New Testament interpretation that this servant is Jesus, this servant’s identity alternates between an individual and the people of Israel as a whole. Regardless, the promise of someone who will lead the people home brings hope to a nation which had been losing theirs for generations.
But Isaiah does not stop at a promised one who will restore the fortunes of Israel. He sees this servant as being a light of salvation to the whole world. This connects with Isaiah’s notion that God shines forth from Jerusalem not to indicate divine glory as only aiding Israel, but as an example of peace and wisdom for everyone.
Now, it we reapply the interpretation that the servant is Jesus, we can see that Jesus’ scope is likewise global. During Jesus’ life, the disciples thought he would be a Messiah that would save the Jews from the Romans, but after his resurrection, the truth of his mission was made clear. Jesus is to be a light to all people, and he calls the church to spread that light, much as Isaiah did long ago. Jesus is not just for us, but for everyone.
When we look at our own struggles, whether they are against health problems, broken relationships, unexpected tragedies, financial difficulties, or with larger societal injustices, it is easy to see Jesus as our own side and against those who get in our way. But focusing on one person or one group is “too light a thing” for the savior of all. To find true salvation is to find perspective that sees others as a source of strength in our struggle and as a way that all might find peace together.
This is not to say that Jesus only cares about the big picture. Jesus is there for you in all the specificity of your difficulty, every moment of your sorrows. But remember that he is also there for everyone else in their times of pain as well. When we ask who is loved or who is saved, remember that God always calls us to think bigger. We should pray for our enemies and listen to those with different experiences from our own, for God loves and speaks through them as much as God does so with us. So today, pray deeply for all your joys and sorrows, but also take a moment to pray for enemies and strangers, for God’s plan includes everyone and God’s salvation reaches “to the end of the earth.”
Prayer: Dear Lord, do not limit my thoughts only to my immediate experience, but let me love beyond myself to consider others near and far as best as I am able. Amen.
Image by Chris Tolworthy
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