Readings:
Isaiah 42
Proverbs 17
Romans 8:18-39

Isaiah 42

We are introduced to someone new at the beginning of this chapter, someone known as the “Lord’s servant.” This isn’t really a new person, but a new side of the promised messiah that was unknown before. This newly revealed character is vastly different from the expectations Jesus faced when he came on the scene 500+ years later.

This isn’t because the people of Jesus’ day didn’t have access to this book of Isaiah, they did and it was wildly read at the time. It’s that they probably didn’t associate this person with the coming messiah, but we have the benefit of hindsight and the New Testament writers who pointed these things out to us.

Romans 8:18-39

Paul points out that no matter what kind of suffering we face in this present age, it will pale in comparison to the glory we see when we are with God in heaven. He says the entire universe groans in anticipation of this glorification that is to come and longs for it greatly.

Paul lists a bunch of things unable to separate us from the love of God, and the point here isn’t that salvation is assured for all believers, but that no force, person or thing outside of ourselves can separate us from God, only we can do that to ourselves. We can actively chose to reject friendship with God, and this is exactly what mortal sin is.

Tomorrow’s Readings:
Isaiah 43
Proverbs 18
Romans 9