Christ Church Daily Devotion Feb 9 2024

In today's Daily Devotion, we read from Isaiah 49:5-6, where God says that it's not enough for His servant to only bring back the tribes of Jacob and Israel. They are also called to be a light for the Gentiles, spreading God's salvation to the ends of the earth. This reminds us that we are all called to share the good news of Jesus, regardless of our differences. Cooperation and unity are important to God, and we should strive to include others in our daily lives. Let us be thankful for the opportunity to be a light to others. Welcome to Christchurch's Daily Devotion for February 9th, 2024. Today, we will be reading from Isaiah chapter 49, verses 5 through 6. And now the Lord says, he who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength. He says, it is too small a thing for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. The prophet shares this reminder of God's desire to bring salvation and new life to all the people of the world. As Eugene Peterson translates it in the message, I'm setting you up as a light for the nations so that my salvation becomes global, this is our mandate to bring everyone the good news of Jesus, however, there was an impassable gulf between the Jews and Gentiles. In the early days of the church, no Jew would have anything to do with a Gentile. But of course, Jesus was a Jew and those walls were invisible to him. And so they should be to us as well. We must work together to change the world. Cooperation is more than a good idea. It is a command, Ephesians 4, 3. Unity matters to God and every person, regardless of gender, income, education, skin color, family background, and any other designation that can be assigned matters to God. And should matter to us. One person at a time, accepted, embraced. We are a new people, a new family created in Christ. Your personal worship option today is as you go about your day, look for ways to include others that may not initially occur to you to include. Thank God for the opportunity to be the light.