You Shine! from Isaiah 49:1-3

“Listen, far-flung islands,
pay attention, faraway people:
God put me to work from the day I was born.
The moment I entered the world he named me.
He gave me speech that would cut and penetrate.
He kept his hand on me to protect me.
He made me his straight arrow
and hid me in his quiver.
He said to me, "You're my dear servant,
Israel, through whom I'll shine."

Isaiah wrote this passage about One Who would come as YaHWeH’s suffering servant. Jewish scholars today identify this “suffering servant” as Israel herself. We Christians know Him as Jesus Christ. This thought came primarily from the end of verse 3 as the Messiah meditates on His calling...and as I join Him in worship. I use the word "Lord" like Paul did in always referring to Jesus by this title.

Lord,
You shine!
You shine through me!
You shine with YaHWeH-glory!
YOU shine!

The sun is dim
Compared to You!
The sunlight is dark
Before Your gleam!
You take GLORY
and make it
close to us!
You take discouragement
and unmask it
as the impostor
it is…for
You shine…
not me!
You SHINE…and
all I do
is enjoy the LIGHT
as it
conquers all
standing against
You!
I do not fight!
You SHINE!
YOU shine!

Most mysteriously…
You WAIT…
for me
to be ready
to reflect
to carry Your light!
You have chosen NOT
to shine
in such away that
I die!
You have declared
Yourself to be FOR
me…so
Your light will
always be life
to me!
Like a kind shepherd
You wait
for the slow, small
steps…
the faltering
steps…
the heavy
steps…
to catch up…and
so it seems that
while You SHINE...
it is my small
torch
You want to use
to light up
the world.