Did you recognize this passage? It’s the one Jesus read to his hometown congregation. Jesus proclaimed to them that he was this prophecy fulfilled. I can see Jesus in these words, can’t you? “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.”
Again, for a people who were feeling lost, these words must have sounded like music to their ears. Such beautiful displays of God’s mercy being poured out on his people. Yet still today we have a hard time receiving gifts from the Lord. We often ignore them, fail to use them, and thus miss out on so many blessings intended for us.
You might expect that when the Israelites were finally free and able they would rush to return “home” to Jerusalem. But I understand many didn’t go. They had not known the land of their forefathers. Perhaps it didn’t seem as important to them. You’d think they’d want “a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.”
We have been watching a wonderful documentary called “Christ Revealed.” We have heard from several Biblical archeologists that ancient towns are being found, sometimes on top of earlier towns. This passage really spoke to me because of some of the things I recently learned from the excavations. “They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations.”
Sometimes it’s hard for us to wrap our minds around the nuggets we find in God’s word. Other times it’s so bold and in your face you can’t help but have an immediate “a-ha moment.” I have a new passion inside since watching this documentary series to return to Jerusalem. It’s where it all began. Have you ever visited the Holy Land?
Isaiah proclaims, “You will be called priests of the Lord, ministers of our God.” In that day, it was the priests who were in contact with God. It was the priests who brought God’s word to the people. Jesus changed all of that for us. We now have direct access to God. The veil was torn. We can now approach God and confess our sins directly to him.
Our God is a personal God. He wants us to know him. He knows us better than we know ourselves. Trusting in him makes so much sense. “Everyone will realize that they are a people the Lord has blessed.” This doesn’t mean we’ll have a problem free existence, but it means we’ll never be alone or far from a blessing from God. His mere presence, not to mention the Spirit that lives in us is a blessing beyond compare.
Let’s pray … Lord, thank you for rescuing me from the darkness. My hope is in you! I look forward to seeing how you are going to work in my life today. May I have my eyes and heart open, ready to receive you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
