“I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.” Isaiah 42:6b-7
We often forget that we are called by God, not just to receive blessings, but also to share them. The gift of being connected to God’s work is not just that we are given the gift of abundant life. We are also empowered to bring “light to the nations,” a reminder that the world is longing for what God is offering.
The verses above from Isaiah remind Israel of its core purpose. God has chosen the people to bring healing, hope and freedom to those who need it most. The promise of a Messiah was a promise to encourage them to remember not only whose they were but also why they were called.
This same dynamic continues today. People of faith know of a wonderful gift that has been offered to us by Jesus. That gift brings us a confidence and a way of seeing the world that is life giving and abundant. But we are also reminded that the world is still longing for release and waiting for healing in many places. Advent is a time of hope and what the world is hoping for, we have seen break in to us in Jesus.
