Praying into Isa. forty-two verse one ( in an unmarked Bible- sometimes, you need to move the flotsam and jetsam in the margins and lines for clear lines of thought) I noticed, even deeper the connection between ‘behold’, ‘chosen’, and ‘delight’.
I’d always presumed with the flow of the thought that He ( me ) was upheld because He (me) was delighted in first. Like…we were all chosen to be His delight so we spend our lives, ever so slowly becoming, hopefully, more delightful to Him above. Presumably, there’s some heavenly inspired upholding taking place as we rock along here towards eternity.
It occurs this morning that I may’ve not considered all the evidence in front of me well. I’m thinking that it’s because the Father was well pleased that He ( us ) was chosen. After all, Luke says in chapter two that Jesus grew in favour and wisdom with God and man as he aged. I’m thinking it was those quiet, mostly nondescript, first thirty years ( remember, the men in town knew him as Joseph’s son) that gave Him opportunity to show that his ear was dug out to hear and that his body had been prepared to prove obedience was completely, humanly, possible.
If this is true, then my obedience- coming through my listening ear, to instruct my prepared body to do His will, is somewhat tied into me being upheld and seen ( behold!) through my expressions of my relationship with Him. I obey, He delights and chooses me to advance more perfectly into His will- upholding me all the way.
There’s a lot of tight corners in that thought I suppose. It’s good then that it’s illustrated in Jesus having come to John for water baptism. Matthew chapter three ends with a reference to Isaiah forty-two, verse one. There are at least two great thoughts alluded to in this last paragraph in Matthew, that time and space only allow mentioning now.
Firstly, that verse seventeen links sonship here with servanthood in Isaiah. Many of us choose from moment to moment whether we relate to the Lord as a son or as a servant. I say this verse directs that it’s both, and always both: Son and servant simultaneously.
Theres a reason for that too. A servant only does what he’s told, a son however, able to anticipate his father’s will and heart is capable of doing more than he’s been assigned. John resisted baptising Jesus. John viewed it as beyond required.
Jesus, in response, said it’s right to fulfill all righteousness. By doing so he went beyond what humanly had to be done and stepped into the realm of doing right for God’s sake. That’s what warranted the divine public affirmation that He received…and that most of us are thirsty for.
By the grace of God, lets choose to live as sons and go so far beyond the minimum requirements of obedience that we can be openly seen and endorsed, as truly living to do all the will of God.
That gives cause for heavenly delight. That delight gives endorsement to our life. That delight grasps our hand and holds us up through all of life’s stumbling spots.