"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Monday, 2 January 2017 with Scripture Isaiah 42:1-9

"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Monday, 2 January 2017 with Scripture Isaiah 42:1-9
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Isaiah 42:1 “Here is my servant, whom I support,
my chosen one, in whom I take pleasure.
I have put my Spirit on him;
he will bring justice to the Goyim.
2 He will not cry or shout;
no one will hear his voice in the streets.
3 He will not snap off a broken reed
or snuff out a smoldering wick.
He will bring forth justice according to truth;
4 he will not weaken or be crushed
until he has established justice on the earth,
and the coastlands wait for his Torah.”
5 Thus says God, Adonai,
who created the heavens and spread them out,
who stretched out the earth and all that grows from it,
who gives breath to the people on it
and spirit to those who walk on it:
6 “I, Adonai, called you righteously,
I took hold of you by the hand,
I shaped you and made you a covenant for the people,
to be a light for the Goyim,
7 so that you can open blind eyes,
free the prisoners from confinement,
those living in darkness from the dungeon.
8 I am Adonai; that is my name.
I yield my glory to no one else,
nor my praise to any idol.
9 See how the former predictions come true;
and now new things do I declare —
before they sprout I tell you about them.”[Complete Jewish Bible
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With creative love, God honored God's beloved Israel with a high calling to the mission of bringing justice to their world. A hard task, but God promised back-up to uphold and reinforce them with these promises: I will uphold. I will keep. I will give grace. I will make you a light to the nations! A big challenge, but God's grace will be sufficient enough to do it!
Isaiah reminds us of God's creating in the past. God stretched out the heavens, spread forth the earth and gave breath and spirit to the people. Still today, God creates gifts in each of us for the special tasks God calls us to do in every stage of life. Just as God created in the past, God is creating both call and gift in us even now. God made promises to Israel so long ago; let's hear those promises fresh for us. God will uphold. God will keep. God will give grace. God will make you a light. 
Loving and creating God, thanks for honoring me, giving both gift and call. Give also courage to claim your promises and to step forth confidently doing your will. Amen.
Corinne Chilstrom, ‘84
Retired; Green Valley, Ariz.
Isaiah 42:1 Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
2 He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street;
3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
5 Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it:
6 I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations,
7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
8 I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols.
9 See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.[New Revised Standard Version]
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