A Dying Flame
Scripture
The Servant of the Lord
1 “Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
4 he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his teaching the islands will put their hope.” (Isaiah 42:1-4).
Reflection
Were you ever faced with a difficult situation that left you discouraged, even hopeless? Maybe you find yourself in unresolved tension between you and an unsaved loved one. Or perhaps you’re facing the loss of a close friend or relative. In times like these, you look to find any glimmer of hope, but deep inside, you feel like the bruised reed or smoldering wick Isaiah wrote about.
In Isaiah 42, the faithful Servant of the Lord he described is unmistakably Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew tells us that Jesus was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (12:18–21). God charges us all to look at him—the one he has chosen, the one in whom he delights. Filled with God’s Spirit, this Servant will bring justice to the nations, and with gentleness and compassion he will strengthen the bruised reed and fan the smoldering wick to flame.
This takes me back to a time when I wrote a song on Isaiah 42. As I was writing lyrics for verse 3, the word “smoldering” didn’t fit in the song’s meter, so I described the smoldering wick as a dying flame. And then I thought about the countless dying flames there must be in this world—people who are suffering from oppression and persecution, others who face famine and war, and untold numbers who, for manifold reasons, feel hopeless, at the end of their rope.
Jesus came into this world for this world, to save everyone who would believe in him. He himself was bruised and even broken so that he could bring to life those who were dying. He continues to be faithful; God’s Servant serves us with loving care and intersession. In our hopelessness we can look to him, in our despair we can count on him to give us strength and hope.
If, during this season of Lent, you find yourself in a place of weakness, like a dying flame, know that you are not alone. Jesus is able to reignite the smoldering wick of your heart and rekindle your flame to shine brightly for him. Let us lift our heads, that the King of glory may come in (Psalm 24:7). May he shine in our hearts for all the world to see.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for your sacrificial love for us that took you to the cross. You were despised and rejected, bruised and broken, but never faltered. Thank you that you came as the light of the world to die for our sins and restore our dying flames. Help us to reflect your light for all to see. Amen
2024 Lenten Journey
Adrian Brown