Readings:
Isaiah 49-50
Proverbs 22
Romans 12

Isaiah 49-50

God speaks of Israel as his servant and says in this chapter that not only will they eventually be restored, but his servant will be a light for all the nations. He’ll draw all the peoples of the world to God and even kings and queens will come from afar. This is fulfilled in Jesus, who is of the house of Jacob and draws people from every corner of the globe.

The servant has many marks of Christ in the following chapter, and describes some of the mistreatment he’ll receive in his ministry and during his passion.

A beautiful line that is used here to demonstrate God’s care for his people is that a mother might forget her child, but he’ll never forget his people. That’s for us too, we’re the Israel of God because according to Paul we’ve been grafted onto the tree of Abraham. We are so precious to God that it’s more likely for a mother to forget her own child (a very unlikely thing) than God to forget or forsake us. That’s a very comforting thought.

Romans 12

Saint Paul tells us to be transformed by the gospel, and not by the world. We have to have our minds “renewed” by the Holy Spirit, because we are naturally inclined towards sin since the fall, and have to reorder our thoughts and desires towards the things of God. We actually can’t do this on our own, but with the grace of the Holy Spirit we can be transformed. (Read Repentance Precedes Forgiveness )

Paul follows this with exhortations to live our lives as Christians should, by doing good, avoiding evil, listening to the words of Our Lord, living the beatitudes and carrying out the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

Tomorrow’s Readings:
Isaiah 51-52
Proverbs 23
Romans 12