Isaiah 50:1-11: a reflection

1The LORD says, “Where is the bill of your mother’s divorce, with which I have put her away? Or to which of my creditors have I sold you? Behold, you were sold for your iniquities, and your mother was put away for your transgressions. 2Why, when I came, was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it can’t redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea. I make the rivers a wilderness. Their fish stink because there is no water, and die of thirst. 3I clothe the heavens with blackness. I make sackcloth their covering.” 4The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him who is weary. He awakens morning by morning, he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. 5The Lord GOD has opened my ear. I was not rebellious. I have not turned back. 6I gave my back to those who beat me, and my cheeks to those who plucked off the hair. I didn’t hide my face from shame and spitting. 7For the Lord GOD will help me. Therefore I have not been confounded. Therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I won’t be disappointed. 8He who justifies me is near. Who will bring charges against me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. 9Behold, the Lord GOD will help me! Who is he who will condemn me? Behold, they will all grow old like a garment. The moths will eat them up. 10Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? He who walks in darkness and has no light, let him trust in the LORD’s name, and rely on his God. 11Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who adorn yourselves with torches around yourselves, walk in the flame of your fire, and among the torches that you have kindled. You will have this from my hand: you will lie down in sorrow.

In the midst of Isaiah's servant songs comes a description of one taught by God to speak a needed word: The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him who is weary. And it tells how such a tongue is given: He awakens morning by morning, he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. The servant is taught by God, morning by morning, to listen; and out of that listening, he is given a word to sustain the weary. The ability to speak a sustaining word to the weary comes from being taught by God, from a listening ear opened morning by morning.

Notice the connection: a listening ear, and a tongue to sustain the weary. The servant does not speak a sustaining word out of his own resources; he is taught by God, his ear awakened morning by morning to hear, and out of that listening he is given a word to sustain the weary. The sustaining word comes from a taught tongue, and the taught tongue comes from a listening ear. To have a word that helps the weary, one must first listen, be taught by God, have the ear awakened to hear. The word that sustains others is drawn from what God teaches the one who listens; the listening ear precedes the helping word.

That connection is worth taking to heart, for to speak a word that sustains the weary, we must first be taught by God, our ear awakened to listen. We may want to help and comfort the weary, to speak a word that sustains them; but such a word is not drawn from our own resources. It comes, as for the servant, from being taught by God, from a listening ear opened to hear him. To sustain others with words, we must first listen and be taught. If you would speak a word to sustain the weary, do not draw only on your own resources; be taught by God, listening to him with an ear awakened morning by morning, and out of that give a word that sustains. Let God teach you, awakening your ear to listen morning by morning, so that out of what you hear you may speak a word to sustain the weary, as the servant was given the tongue of the taught to sustain the weary; for the word that helps the weary is drawn from a listening ear taught by God, and we must first listen before we can sustain others with our words.

Lord, in the midst of Isaiah's servant songs comes a description of one taught by you to speak a needed word: the Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him who is weary. And it tells how such a tongue is given: he awakens morning by morning, he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. The servant is taught by you, morning by morning, to listen; and out of that listening, he is given a word to sustain the weary. Show me the connection: a listening ear, and a tongue to sustain the weary. The servant does not speak a sustaining word out of his own resources; he is taught by you, his ear awakened morning by morning to hear, and out of that listening he is given a word to sustain the weary. The sustaining word comes from a taught tongue, and the taught tongue comes from a listening ear. To have a word that helps the weary, one must first listen, be taught by you. Take that to my heart, for to speak a word that sustains the weary, I must first be taught by you, my ear awakened to listen. I may want to help and comfort the weary, to speak a word that sustains them; but such a word is not drawn from my own resources. It comes from being taught by you, from a listening ear opened to hear you. If I would speak a word to sustain the weary, keep me from drawing only on my own resources; teach me, Lord, awakening my ear to listen morning by morning, so that out of what I hear I may speak a word that sustains the weary.