Daily Prophets
Day 169
“And God said to me:”You are My servant, Israel in whom I glory.” I thought “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for empty breath” but my justice was with God and my reward was with God. Now, God has said…To bring back Jacob to God, that Israel may be restored to God, I have been honored and God is my strength….I will make you a light to the nations and My saving will go to the end of the earth.”(Isaiah 49:3,4,5,5).
While it could seem as if Second Isaiah is calling himself the servant of God, it is clear that Isaiah is repeating the words God has given him to say. Second Isaiah is bringing the news to Judah/Israel that it has been waiting to hear; redemption is nearing, homecoming is not far off. The belief by Israel, as stated by Second Isaiah above, is typical for most of us who have done the wrong thing, been held accountable, etc, we believe that our earlier labors and strength were for naught. Which is true, as long as we realize that the labors and strength we used to defy God are the ones we are speaking of. Most people will belabor the points that show them in a good light and say it was for naught instead of seeing the negativity, the defiance of God as our vain labors and empty breaths.
That Second Isaiah can relay to the people and the people can see, hear and understand that their exile was for their own good, for their own purification, for their own understanding that being the chosen of God is not a privilege, it is a responsibility that we get to undertake and must honor is wondrous. It puts into context that this exile, this destruction was necessary for their being able to have their eyes opened, their hearts circumcised, and their souls appreciate their reward. The realization by the people, thru the prophet, that justice and reward come from God, that their actions have direct bearing on their ability to live free or be ruled by tyrants is crucial to the next choices Israel makes. This is also true for us as individuals; we have a tyrant within that wants to rule us, we have choices each and every day that move us closer to God or further away from God. We need to keep our eyes, hearts, souls open to see, hear and act on the call that God is making rather than the call of our inner/outer tyrant.
What is the reward? To be restored to God and to be a light unto the nations! We get to take our place with God and within God’s world again, the place we forfeited is always waiting for our return, our restoration. We get to be honored with God’s presence and God’s strength. The phrase above, “God is my strength” is similar to the phrase from the “song of the sea” that Moses and the Israelites sang after crossing the Red Sea. It is crucial that we remember our strength doesn’t come from us solely, it is a gift from God and we have to use it to light up the nations, bring the healing, strength, love and forgiveness of God to the entire world so we all work together to fulfill God’s Call and God’s plan. What an amazingly awesome trembling gift!
Rabbi Heschel teaches us:”It is not a prophet speaking in His name; it is predominately God addressing Himself to the people; it is I, not He. He said to Israel, “I appointed you a light to the nations”(Isaiah 49:6). The term “servant of the Lord”, used to designate the prophets…is now applied to Israel.”(The Prophets pg. 155). These words of Rabbi Heschel demand of us to fulfill our purpose, be that light to the nations, be the people who bring healing where there is strife, be the people who treat the stranger well, be Godly in our actions instead of selfish and self-seeking. It is so hard for most of us to rise above our self-interests and our self-centeredness to serve God, to overrule the inner tyrant and give light to our minds, to our selves and to another(s). Yet it is possible, as we are taught in Genesis, “negativity couches at your door and it desires you much, you can control it”. These words to Cain still resonate in the universe and the prophet is letting Israel know it is time to do that and God will help. It is time for us to hear, listen, understand and do the same thing, isn’t it?
In recovery we are so aware of being a servant of God. We know that our duty, our privilege, our blessing is to serve God, to serve another and to be a light to the people who suffer from the ‘poor me/aren’t I the greatest’ syndromes, to people who suffer from too much or not enough self-esteem, to the people who are lost, have served their sentences for their errors and need redeeming from their inner and outer tyrants. We are so grateful everyday to be a servant of God, to be a servant of another(s) and to live with purpose, strength and in freedom.
My own experience of being a servant is one of joy. I have the honor and pleasure to have served in one place for 30+ years and, now that it has come to an end in many respects, I am grateful for the opportunity and see how this service has shaped me and formed me for my next chapters. As I see how God has meted out justice to me and saved me, how God has kept me and redeemed me, I am humbled beyond measure and joy. I realize how often I believed my labors were in vain when it was me who was in vain and I am grateful, joyous, proud and humbled to be part of God’s light to self, to another(s) and to serve as a lifesaver to many. I am also aware of the people I put off and I am sad for those times as well. And, I I know that I am still expected to and grateful to bring God’s light to a new corner of the world which I am searching for. God Bless and Stay Safe, Rabbi Mark