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#DailyDevotion Are You Blind To The Ways Of The LORD

#DailyDevotion Are You Blind To The Ways Of The LORD

Isaiah 4218“Listen, You deaf people! You blind ones, open your eyes and see! 19 Who is as blind as My servant or as deaf as the messenger I send? Who is as blind as the one who is to be rewarded, as blind as the LORD’s servant? 20You have seen much but obey nothing. Your ears were open, but you heard nothing.” 21Because He wants what is right, the LORD delights to make His law great and wonderful.

The people of Israel were deaf and blind to the ways of God the LORD. Instead of trusting in the word of the LORD and worshiping him, they worshiped the dead, death, dumb and blind idols of their neighbors. In doing so, they became like the idols they served. What and who do you serve? When trouble hit, to whom or what or what activity do you look to get you through the night? Whatever or whoever it is, is your God. Our idols today are not generally wood, stone and gold idols but rather: work, politics, government, sex, drugs, alcohol, entertainment, happiness, spouses, children, food and the like. Whatever we worship and serve, we become like and our idols are our addictions. If any one of them were taken from us and we would curse God, the LORD, then most certainly, that thing is your god, your idol. You are blind to the LORD because of it.

Earlier the LORD’s servant is the Messiah. Sometimes it is Israel itself. The LORD’s servant is at times to be Israel reduced to one. It is a bit difficult to determine in verse 19 if the LORD is referring to the people, which is likely as he charged them with being deaf and blind or if it the LORD’s servant, the Messiah. If it is the Messiah then what is he blind and deaf to? It is not to the LORD’s ways and voice. Perhaps it is to the ways and voice of fallen Israel. Jesus certainly closes his eyes and eyes to the traditions of the fathers who erred in their following the Torah. In verse 20 it seems as he has definitely switch to fallen Israel who sees much but obeys nothing and whose ears were open but heard nothing.

Do we similarly hear and see what the LORD Jesus Christ has taught and commanded and not hear and obey? Do we use the grace and forgiveness he has won for us as a license for sin? Do we say we have faith yet turn to our idols for every good in every aspect of our life or do we trust Jesus for every good in this life and the next?

The LORD’s servant here wants to do right, that is Jesus the Messiah. As such, the LORD “delights to make his law great and wonderful.” What is that law? That everyone who wants to be saved should trust in him alone as their God, Savior, Redeemer, Ransom, Light and Life. John in his epistle says “This is his commandment, to believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and to love one another.” The name of Jesus Christ, God’s Son is to be worshiped and trusted alone, solely, as our standing before God and for every good in life. He gives it to us freely and faith to trust in him. Let us turn then to him in every trouble, trial, prayer, praise, and thanksgiving for every good.

Merciful God and Father, apart from your Holy Spirit we are death, dumb and blind. Grant us your Holy Spirit that we may hear, see and praise your son Jesus Christ and be saved and comforted in this veil of tears. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Rev. Guillaume J. S. Williams, Sr.

The Reverend Guillaume Williams is the Pastor of Hope Lutheran Chapel of Osage Beach, Missouri. His pastoral ministry with Hope began in 2005 where he preaches the Christ crucified.

One Comment

  1. My life is full of addictions. My dependance on God gets me through the day.

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