Word for Wednesday…More
“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".
Isaiah 49:6
In a previous church I pastored, whenever an opportunity would be presented to share testimonies, one particular individual would share the exact same story. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good story; a story of God calling him to step out in faith and start a brand new ministry at the church. This ministry provided several opportunities for people to serve, and had undoubtedly exposed several others to the message of the Gospel. But it was an old story. This had happened several years ago. I often wondered if there was something more that God wanted to do in the life of this individual.
In the passage quoted above, Isaiah was in the process of describing God’s servant whom he would send to rescue his people from exile. This was no small thing, yet God didn’t want to stop there, he wanted to do so much more. This coming servant, who we now understand to be Jesus, would not only rescue his own people but would be a “light to the nations.” God was setting in motion a plan to save the world. If you are like me and cannot trace your ancestry back to the tribes of Jacob, then God’s desire to do more is the reason why you are eligible to receive his gift of salvation. That is something we Gentiles are called to celebrate in this season of Epiphany.
If you are a follower of Jesus, God has done something amazing for you; he has forgiven you of your sins, restored your relationship with him, adopted you as his beloved son or daughter. That is no small thing. But God wants to do more. He wants to change you, redeem you, and transform you into the image of his Son. Never fall into the trap of believing God is done with you. Never fall into the trap of believing there isn’t something more.