“Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother He named my name. 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 right is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God.’” Isaiah 49:1-4
Devotional Thought For The Day
These are words that ultimately describe the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. However, they also have application to the ancient nation of Israel and also to the prophet, Isaiah. While the specifics of God’s formation and preparation of Isaiah in his mother’s womb are not applicable to all children of God, the principle that God forms and prepares His people for His glory and for His specific purposes is well attested in Scripture. Consider Paul’s encouragement to the church in Eph. 2:10: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has before-ordained that we should be walking in them.” The psalmist also noted God’s intimate role in his creation [Ps. 139:14-17], as did the prophet Jeremiah [Jer. 1:4-10]. So we too are invited to understand that God has known us and prepared us at least from conception on, and that He will be glorified in us.
What this means is that if and when we are able to accomplish good things – however ordinary or mundane these things might seem – it is God Who has enabled and empowered such goodness. Paul reminded the Philippians: “It is God Who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” [Phil. 2:13] I may not be blessed to accomplish what God has prepared and empowered others to be doing, but I should not be jealous or envious; instead I should focus on those things which I have been prepared to be doing and rejoice to accomplish them. Likewise, it is not for our personal glory that God has prepared us to accomplish His purposes, but rather for the good of others and His own glory. This should be our understanding of our blessed and lofty purpose, and our focus in life – whatever gifts, blessings, and abilities God has given us, and regardless of what profit or loss our activities bring, including the opposition and persecutions that come in consequence of some aspects of our calling as children of God.
I suspect that it is a rather common temptation for children of God to struggle with understanding the precious value of their life’s work. Isaiah concluded: “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity.” Now if we have earned a lot of money and have abundant possessions, or if we have risen to a place of prominence, power, and prestige, we might point to these “accomplishments” as proof of the value and purpose of our life and labor – and this is the way of the world, the compulsive idolatry of wealth. However, few find themselves in these circumstances, although we can always find someone who has less to compare ourselves to and puff ourselves up. But this is also a delusional and futile exercise, one based in sinful pride and egotism. The truly wise and pious child of God may be tempted with such thoughts but will not succumb to them; he will recognize that worldly and carnal judgments of his life and accomplishments will not recognize what God has accomplished by having created, redeemed, and renewed His children. There are many criteria that are pressed upon us so that we look at our life’s work as vain and futile. These befog our minds and lead us to depression and perhaps even despair. We are to remember that our good works which God has accomplished in us and through us, no matter how mundane and insignificant they may seem to be, are of eternal worth and value – and follow us into eternity in God’s glorious heavenly kingdom [Rev. 14:13].
This is the comfort that Isaiah utilized, and which he uses to encourage us. Regardless of worldly judgments of our work and life, it remains true for every child of God that “surely my right is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God.” God is our portion and our inheritance, our wealth and our retirement plan – in this life and beyond. And in that He has cherished us and specifically made us to accomplish His good and gracious purposes, and is glorified in us, that wealth, significance, and value is immense. Nothing that God does is “vain” and “futile” – and this obviously includes most importantly the good works that He has ordained for us to be walking in. When we are struggling with a sense of our personal importance, and with a sense of accomplishment, God encourages us to remember these realities – and to entrust all things in His hands so that we take comfort in what He has done, is doing, and will do for us and through us.
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, the world tries to press on us its definition of success and significance, and our sinful nature tends to agree with these delusional and evil criteria for judging human worth and the value of a life of good works and service to God. We too are eager to prove our value in what we accumulate rather than in what we do to serve You and others. Help us to see what is of true and eternal value, and lift up our hearts so that we have joy in the works You have prepared and empowered us to be doing. Thank You for providing us with an inheritance and retirement that is impervious to loss. Amen.