Read Isaiah 49
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring
my salvation to the ends of the earth.
Isaiah 49:6
“It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus,”
wrote Robert Murray McCheyne. “A holy minister [servant] is an
awful weapon in the hand of God.”
The Jewish nation was called to be a light to the Gentiles, but
they failed. This is why the Servant is called “Israel” in 49:3: He did
the work that Israel was supposed to do. Today, the church is God’s
light in this dark world, and like Israel, we seem to be failing in our
mission to take the good news to the ends of the earth. We cannot
do the job very effectively when only 5 percent of the average local
church budget is devoted to evangelism!
As Jesus Christ ministered on earth there were times when His
work seemed in vain (see v. 4). The religious leaders opposed Him,
the disciples did not always understand Him, and those He helped
did not always thank Him. He lived and labored by faith, and God
gave Him success.
Our Lord could not minister to the Gentiles until first He
ministered to the Jews (vv. 5–6). He was despised by both Jews and
Gentiles, but He did God’s work and was glorified.
Something to Ponder
How can the light you have from the Lord brighten a little more
gloom than usual today?