I am often amazed when I look at a magazine stand and see so many titles; so many special interest magazines. Then I read or hear political news and about the special interest groups lobbying for their causes. It seems the world is infatuated with and revolves around special interests. Yet the more you get to know God and love God, the more you are wrapped up in His interests.
RELEVANCE
Isaiah captured something special about Messiah and those who serve in His Spirit—in Christ.
“He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many” (Isaiah 53:11).
The use of the phrase, by His knowledge, focuses on an intriguing intimate knowledge of God. It speaks of knowing truth, having the wisdom of God. The sense it gives is of a servant (speaking of Messiah and all those who serve in Spirit and truth) immersed in union with God. Paul would refer to one as having “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16).
Such a servant identifies with God’s interests: His values, purposes, priorities, cares, concerns, truths, righteousness and justice. It places His will over the self-will; His truth over opinions, assumptions and presumptions. Truly, it takes coming into a deep alignment and harmony with God. Such a unity takes time to cultivate. It takes perseverance and sacrifice, and a willingness to relate with God; often at the cost of relating to people. The thing is then we can really serve people from God’s point of view and frame of reference; from the strength of His Spirit, not our carnal humanity. Peter spoke on this.
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:2-4).
REFLECT AND RELATE
How do you discern if your interests are godly or carnal?
How do you discern when you are serving man from your strength or God’s; your carnal nature or His divine nature?
REFERENCES
2 Peter 1:2-11; Romans 8:1-39