Isaiah 42:7
I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness
Over the past few years we’ve got used to retailers using our order history to target us with offers for things that they think we’re likely to want. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work so well for families like ours, where we share one account between us. My husband recently bought some bits for servicing his bike and so now I’m targeted with ads for all kinds of replacement bike parts, most of which I couldn’t even name! I’m never going to click on the link, or take up the special offer, because they’re not things I’m remotely interested in. We only respond to the ads that get it right – the ones that offer us things we actually want, or recognise that we need.
In this verse we’re shown another aspect of what the Servant has come to do. He is sent to open the eyes of the blind, and release the prisoners. Is that an irresistible offer? Or just another piece of irrelevant spam to be ignored? It all depends on how we see ourselves. If we know that we are the blind, sitting in darkness, unable to clearly God, or ourselves, or the true nature of reality around us, then we’ll welcome someone who comes to open our eyes. If we know that we are hopelessly trapped by our sin, held captive by the devil, then we’ll welcome someone who comes to set us free.
But if we see ourselves as clear-eyed, far-sighted, liberated individuals, successfully making our own choices and living life our own way, then this servant has nothing to offer us. The gospel is good news to those who know they need to be rescued, but utter foolishness to those who don’t think they are lost. Which are we?
So today – whether for the first time, or the millionth time – let’s ask God to grant us the humility to see ourselves as we really are: blind prisoners, in need of rescue. And let’s thank him for sending us the rescuer we so desperately need.
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