Sharing in the Renewing Work of God
Scripture — Isaiah 61:1-4 (NRSV)
The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners;
to proclaim the year of the LORD’S favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD, to display his glory.
They shall build up the ancient ruins,
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.
Focus
If we take Isaiah 61:4 seriously, then our work as God’s people is not just what we usually think of as “religious.” Rather, our work includes rebuilding, restoring, and renewing the world. As followers of the Messiah, we share in these aspects of his messianic work. We do this as part of God’s church when we are gathered for worship and ministry. But we also do this as part of God’s church when we are scattered into the world. In all that we do, whether as parents or artists or entrepreneurs or bankers or teachers or you-name-it, we participate in the rebuilding, restoring, and renewing of the world.
Devotion
The opening verses of Isaiah are some of the most significant among the Old Testament prophetic texts. Not only do they point to the future, when God will send the anointed one to restore the broken world and heal its broken people, but also these key verses were quoted by Jesus to explain the essence of his own messianic ministry (Luke 4:16-21).
We usually focus on the first three verses of Isaiah 61. They capture what God’s anointed one will do when he comes: proclaim good news, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom and release, and proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, which brings both judgment and comfort. When the Messiah does his work, the people of God will be crowned with “a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning.” They will be called “oaks of righteousness” planted by the Lord (61:3). For good reason, we Christians focus on these verses, celebrating what God has done and will do through Jesus the Messiah.
Yet, in today’s devotion, I want to draw our attention to verse 4. It adds something crucial to Isaiah’s vision of God’s future, something that speaks incisively to our lives today. Notice what God’s people, God’s “oaks of righteousness” will do when the anointed one does his work: “They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations” (61:4). How striking! Even surprising! When God brings divine peace and justice to the world through the Messiah, God will not miraculously and instantaneously remake the broken world. Rather, the people who have been redeemed and set free by the Messiah will do this work. Specifically, we will “build up” and “raise up” and “repair.” God doesn’t do everything for us. Instead, God does what God alone can do, and then invites us to a partner in the divine work. Isn’t that amazing?
Of course, if we think back to the biblical account of creation, this partnership with God shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. There, God created the world and human beings, who were given the task of filling the world and making it fruitful. God had work for us to do after God created all things. And God has work for us to do in the renewal of all things that begins with the work of the Messiah.
This work surely includes passing on the good news of what God has done and is doing through Christ. Yet, if we take Isaiah 61:4 seriously, then our work also includes rebuilding, restoring, and renewing the world. As followers of the Messiah, we share in these aspects of his messianic work. We do this as part of God’s church when we are gathered for worship and ministry. But we also do this as part of God’s church when we are scattered into the world. In all that we do, whether as parents or artists or entrepreneurs or bankers or teachers or you-name-it, we participate in the rebuilding, restoring, and renewing of the world.
Reflect
In what ways do you participate in the rebuilding, restoring, and renewing of the broken world?
Do you see your daily work as connected to God’s work through Christ? Why or why not?
How might you work differently if you believed that what you do each day can be one way of sharing in God’s work in the world?
Act
Today, as you do your work, whether paid or unpaid, see if you can think of your work as sharing in God’s work in the world.
Pray
Gracious God, thank you for the promise of the coming of your anointed one. Thank you for all that will happen through him. Thank you for all that you have begun to do through Jesus the Messiah.
Help us, Lord, to share in your messianic work even as we celebrate it. As people who have received the good news, may we share it with others. As those whose broken hearts have been bound up, may we bind up the brokenness of others. As those who have been set free, may we work for the freedom of others. As those who have been released from darkness, may we seek the release of all who are imprisoned by evil and injustice.
And, dear Lord, may we be your “oaks of righteousness,” those who actively share in your work of rebuilding, restoring, and renewing. May our daily work be part of your work in the world. May we come to see all we do as for you and your purposes. Amen.
Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Blessed Are Those Who Mourn.
Mark D. Roberts
Senior Strategist
Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders,...