Isaiah 50:4-9a (NRSV)
Read Isaiah 50:4-9a on biblegateway.com
Verse 4The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens- wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. Verse 5The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. Verse 6I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. Verse 7The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; Verse 8he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. Verse 9It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty? All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.
Devotion
The poet Isaiah tells it straight. He has the tongue of a teacher, speaking truth in a world gone mad with nonsense. In his day everything solid was melting. God inspired his words to interrupt the weary with hope. His vocation was to teach about the soul force of God. To do so he confronts the brute force caused by his nation's disunity and warring factions. He teaches through the ubiquitous steadfast love (hesed) of God.
The older I get, the more I incline my ear to this poet-prophet, because he provides courage to square off with religious and social systems fearful of practicing the radical hospitality of God's justice with the power of mercy for the whole people of God. I am inspired by Isaiah and pray with teachers like Howard Thurman (God bless his memory) who teach that the heart of faith is the ministry with those "whose backs are against the wall." The church reads Isaiah and remembers God sets his face like flint seeking to provide salve necessary for a troubled time.
Prayer
God, we thank you for the gift of teachers who mentor and voice the faith in the spiritual delicacy of placing faith into the public life of discipleship. We pray for courage like flint. Amen.