Following in Humbled Faith

The Year of the Lord's Favor - Isaiah 61

 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

because the Lord has tanointed me

to bring good news to the poor;1

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and uthe opening of the prison to those who are bound;2

2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,

and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn;

3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—

to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

that they may be called oaks of righteousness,

the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.3

4 They shall build up the ancient ruins;

they shall raise up the former devastations;

they shall repair the ruined cities,

the devastations of many generations.

5 Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks;

foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;

6 but you shall be called the priests of the Lord;

they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God;

you shall eat the wealth of the nations,

and in their glory you shall boast.

7 Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion;

instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;

therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion;

they shall have everlasting joy.

8 For I the Lord love justice;

I hate robbery and wrong;

I will faithfully give them their recompense,

and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

9 Their offspring shall be known among the nations,

and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;

all who see them shall acknowledge them,

that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.

10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;

my soul shall exult in my God,

for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;

he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom decks himself llike a priest with a beautiful headdress,

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,

and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,

so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise

to sprout up before all the nations.

This passage is my life's calling, and has been a constant reminder of why I am here. Zambia is where the Lord has called me to "bind up the broken-hearted" and "proclaim liberty to the captives" for right now. But if we're being honest, all Christians have been called to do these things, it just looks different for everyone. So the question I want to pose tonight is "Where are you binding up the broken-hearted and freeing the captives?" It could be anywhere, and don't limit yourself to what you want the answer to be, because trust me, if it is uncomfortable and is not exactly what you desire, then it is EXACTLY where the Lord wants you. Because that place of discomfort requires faith. And faith is the conviction of what is unseen. This journey has been one of faith for me, but I have seen the Lord's hand so mightily at work over the past four weeks. I am so humbled when I think about how the Lord has let me be a part of His plan here in Zambia. This week has been an unexpected challenge for me in many ways, but I know that the Lord has ordained this week for me. So I keep going, knowing that the Lord has placed this calling on my life and that this is what the Lord has required of me. I follow in blind faith, knowing that His path leads to unending joy and contentment. This is the greatest adventure of my life thus far, and I encourage you to follow in blind faith as well, because it will be a far better journey than you could have ever conjured up in your small human brain!