Ears wide open

The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. _{Isaiah 50:4}

This is the voice of a servant, the voice of one who listens intently to the words of God and learns from what he hears. The servant could be Isaiah, for he dedicated his life to proclaiming the word of the Lord. His ears were continually open to the message that God had for the people and his tongue was definitely of one who was taught, for he spoke with eloquence and with depth. Isaiah though, did not so much speak to those who were weary but to those who were wayward.

The servant who speaks in this verse is, more accurately, thought to be the Lord Jesus. His ministry was for the lost, the broken, the outcast; those wearied by society, by religion, by oppression, and burdened with sadness and despair. Being divinely filled with all heavenly wisdom and knowledge, he was able to sustain the weakest and most fragile with the gentle power of his words. No-one ever spoke like Jesus.

Every Christian is a servant of God and each has the ability to speak a word of comfort or a word of encouragement to those who need it. Maybe like Moses you feel that your words would be inadequate for the task. Let God’s reply to this worry give you confidence:

“Go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” (Ex4:12)

The words of God bring hope and can sooth the most troubled of souls. It is such an honour and a blessing to bring even a small amount of comfort to those who are burdened. Ask God to awaken your ear to hear his words and to place those words on your tongue.