Thoughts for the Day

Listen, you that are deaf;
and you that are blind, look up and see!
Who is blind but my servant,
or deaf like my messenger whom I send?
Who is blind like my dedicated one,
or blind like the servant of the Lord?
He sees many things, but does not observe them;
his ears are open, but he does not hear.

Who among you will give heed to this,
who will attend and listen for the time to come?

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Isaiah is accusing the people of his day of being blind and deaf to God's messages, they simply do not see their part in His long-term plans. They only understand that God had allowed Jerusalem to be destroyed and for them to be taken captive to Babylon. They don't see that God has a plan for other nations.

The words 'hear', 'listen' and 'obey' can all be the same word in Hebrew. Jesus was to call the Pharisees 'blind guides' because they were only concerned with rules and regulations and not justice, mercy, and faith (Matthew 23.23-24). Jesus also called his disciples blind and deaf. (Mark 8.18). 'Blindness' was the way Isaiah as well as Jesus accused the people of lacking understanding, and 'deafness' meant their lack of obedience..

But we might ask, are we any different? We are the people who should be closest to God - we have received so much from Him - yet all too often we fail to see God's activity in the world around us, or to obey His commands. When we are cocooned in our "church environment" are we today's Pharisees, trying so hard to do what we think God wants, but totally blind and deaf to God's bigger picture?

Father,
may we see Your work in the world around us,
especially in places where we don't expect it,
and not just within the Church.
Help us to lift our heads, see Your work, and join in.
May we not be precious about our traditions,
but work together with other Christians
to help bring in Your Kingdom on earth
Amen.