The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the
Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the
Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn...
Jesus read this passage at a synagogue in Nazareth to define his ministry (
Luke 4:14-19). He came to preach good news for the poor, to bind up the broken, to announce freedom for those who were captives, to bring deliverance from the powers of darkness to the prisoners of addiction and evil, to proclaim grace because of God's favor, and to offer comfort to those grieving. Jesus also made clear God had a sharp edge to his justice, settling the score with those who were exploiters and abusers of the powerless. Since Jesus has sent us into the world as the Father sent our Savior (
John 20:21-23), shouldn't our mission be to do something similar to what our
Lord did?
Through the power and wisdom of your Holy Spirit, who longs to work powerfully in and through us, please open my eyes, dear Lord. Help us see those you put in our paths with whom you want us to share your grace, deliverance, and comfort. Use us to speak up for those who are exploited, mistreated, and abused. In Jesus' name, we ask for your power and strength to bring redemption and hope to the lost around us. Amen.
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