Monday 11 April 2022

Today is Monday of Holy Week, the 11th of April.
We are on a pilgrimage this week… we will pass through the anguish of Gethsemane, the pain of Good Friday and the emptiness of Holy Saturday, as we journey towards the joy set before us on Easter Sunday. As Steffany Gretzinger sings, ‘I Love You, Lord’, take a moment to mark this journey in some way, as you turn your face towards Jesus, the joy set before you…
I love You, Lord
And I lift my voice
To worship You, oh, my soul rejoice
Take joy, my King
In what You hear
May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear
I love You, Lord
And I lift my voice
To worship You, oh, my soul rejoice
Take joy, my King
In what You hear
May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear
May it be a sweet, sweet sound
May it be a sweet, sweet sound
May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear


Today’s reading is from the Prophet Isaiah.
Isaiah 42:1-7
Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street;
a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it:
I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.

God is speaking about the chosen Servant, the Messiah. Notice how this Servant is described as someone in whom God’s soul delights, someone faithful and unstoppable. But he is also gentle and patient with our vulnerabilities, willing to wait until we are ready, without coercing or exerting pressure on us. How does this strike you as a description of Jesus?
God is the all-powerful creator in this passage, but as God-made-human, offers us faithful promise, light in darkness and freedom from prison. Can you name any darkness that is blinding you, so that you long for light? Many people carry memories or unbreakable habits that hold them captive in toxic thoughts and feelings – does this sound familiar? Do you want to say anything to Jesus about this?

Listening again to this powerful prophecy, become aware of any words or images that take hold of your mind and heart, your desires and longings.
You are also God’s chosen one, in whom God’s soul delights. God’s spirit has also been given to you by a loving Creator who longs for you to be free. How do you feel like responding to this promise and invitation?


You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.