Listen to me, O coastlands,
pay attention, you peoples from far away!
The Lord called me before I was born,
while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me away.
And he said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
But I said, “I have labored in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the Lord,
and my reward with my God.”
And now the Lord says,
who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honored in the sight of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength—
he says,
“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.”
Thus says the Lord,
the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations,
the slave of rulers,
“Kings shall see and stand up,
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” ~ Isaiah 49:1-7
There were some impressive figures that God chose to do God's work: Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Esther. These were some dramatic callings.
There were also some callings that were less dramatic. More gentle: Chosen by God to do extraordinary things while leading an ordinary life: Samuel, Ruth, Mary, Elizabeth, Zechariah.
It's easy to see why these figures were chosen by God - we can see the outcome of that choice. It's easy to call them servants of God, because we can see what their service to God accomplished.
God's call isn't always dramatic. It isn't even always anything that multitudes will remember in years to come, or that will be written down for the annals of time.
And God's call to servanthood isn't just for those who have been trained or are seen as important.
God's call is for us all.
So how has God chosen you?
What is it God is accomplishing in you?
How are you called to serve?
Here I am, Lord. Send me. Amen
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