Isaiah 20:1-6: a reflection

1In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it; 2at that time the LORD spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and loosen the sackcloth from off your waist, and take your sandals from off your feet.” He did so, walking naked and barefoot. 3The LORD said, “As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder concerning Egypt and concerning Ethiopia, 4so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Ethiopia, young and old, naked and barefoot, and with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. 5They will be dismayed and confounded, because of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory. 6The inhabitants of this coast land will say in that day, ‘Behold, this is our expectation, where we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria. And we, how will we escape?’”

God asked the prophet Isaiah to do something costly and humbling to deliver a message: to walk stripped of his usual clothing and barefoot for three years, as a living sign of the humiliation that would come on those who trusted in Egypt and Ethiopia. As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign, God says. This was no small thing to ask; it was a costly, humbling, prolonged obedience, bearing in his own person a hard sign for three years. Isaiah obeyed, taking on this humiliation to deliver God's message. God sometimes asks costly and humbling things of those who serve him, obedience that is not easy or dignified but hard and self-humbling; and faithfulness means obeying even then. Isaiah bore a costly, humbling sign for three years in obedience to God. To serve God faithfully sometimes means costly, humbling obedience, not only easy or comfortable service. Faithful obedience can be hard and self-humbling, as Isaiah's was.

Notice what God asked of Isaiah, and that he obeyed: a costly, humbling, prolonged sign. Isaiah was to walk stripped and barefoot for three years, bearing in his own person a humiliating sign for the sake of God's message. This was not a comfortable or dignified obedience; it was hard, self-humbling, and long. Yet Isaiah obeyed, taking on the humiliation for God's purpose. This shows that faithful service to God is not always easy or comfortable; sometimes God asks costly and humbling things, obedience that requires us to bear discomfort, humiliation, or hardship for his sake. And faithfulness means obeying even then, not only when service is pleasant or dignified. Isaiah did not refuse the humbling task; he bore it for three years. To serve God faithfully may sometimes require costly, self-humbling obedience, the willingness to bear what is not easy or dignified for his sake. Faithful obedience is not always comfortable; it sometimes costs and humbles us. To obey God even in costly, humbling things is real faithfulness. Isaiah's willingness to bear a hard sign shows a faithfulness that does not shrink from costly obedience.

That is worth taking to heart, for faithful service to God sometimes requires costly, humbling obedience, not only easy or comfortable service. We can be willing to serve God when it is pleasant and dignified, but shrink from obedience that is costly or humbling; but God asked Isaiah to bear a hard, humiliating sign for three years, and Isaiah obeyed. Faithfulness sometimes means costly, self-humbling obedience, bearing what is not easy for God's sake. Do not shrink from obedience that is costly or humbling; faithful service to God sometimes requires it, as Isaiah bore a hard sign for three years. Be willing to obey God even in costly, humbling things, not only in easy or comfortable service, as Isaiah walked stripped and barefoot for three years as a sign at God's command; for faithful service to God is not always pleasant or dignified but sometimes requires us to bear discomfort, humiliation, or hardship for his sake, and faithfulness means obeying even then, not shrinking from costly, self-humbling obedience, so that to serve God truly is to be willing to bear what is not easy for his sake, as Isaiah did.

Lord, you asked the prophet Isaiah to do something costly and humbling to deliver a message: to walk stripped of his usual clothing and barefoot for three years, as a living sign of the humiliation that would come on those who trusted in Egypt and Ethiopia. As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign, you say. This was no small thing to ask; it was a costly, humbling, prolonged obedience, bearing in his own person a hard sign for three years. Isaiah obeyed, taking on this humiliation to deliver your message. You sometimes ask costly and humbling things of those who serve you. Show me what you asked of Isaiah, and that he obeyed: a costly, humbling, prolonged sign. Isaiah was to walk stripped and barefoot for three years, bearing a humiliating sign for the sake of your message. This was not a comfortable or dignified obedience; it was hard, self-humbling, and long. Yet Isaiah obeyed, taking on the humiliation for your purpose. This shows that faithful service to you is not always easy or comfortable; sometimes you ask costly and humbling things. And faithfulness means obeying even then, not only when service is pleasant. Take that to my heart, for faithful service to you sometimes requires costly, humbling obedience, not only easy or comfortable service. I can be willing to serve you when it is pleasant and dignified, but shrink from obedience that is costly or humbling; but you asked Isaiah to bear a hard sign for three years, and he obeyed. Keep me from shrinking from obedience that is costly or humbling; help me be willing to obey you even in costly, humbling things, Lord, not only in easy service, as Isaiah walked stripped and barefoot for three years at your command, bearing what was not easy for your sake.