Isaiah 50:4 The sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
and wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.

This is reasonably taken as a Messianic passage, but it is one I feel can and should apply to every believer. We talk a lot about discipleship, and rightly so, since the term comes up a lot in the New Testament, and that is the term the Japanese uses repeatedly here. (“the tongue of a disciple” and “listen like a disciple”) However, I think we forget that the basic meaning is simply that of listening obediently, with a heart to learn. The problem is that we tend to be rebellious. We talk about the “terrible twos” in children, and then about “rebellious teenagers,” but many of us never really grow out of that. My mother had a rather colorful phrase that I think captures it well: “Independent as a hog on ice.” Hooved animals in particular can find walking on ice problematic. Just yesterday I watched a video of a man rescuing four wild deer that had gotten out toward the middle of a frozen lake and completely lost their footing, unable to stand up again. He just threw a rope around each one in turn and dragged it over to the shore where it could get some traction. Pigs are noted for their intelligence, but also for their willfulness, and that describes humans pretty well. (Sometimes a little shy on the intelligence.) Discipleship requires a choice, an act, really repeated, consistent acts, of our will. We can’t get by with saying a few words, however good and appropriate those words might be, and then failing to renew our commitment on a daily basis. It’s not that we “lose our salvation,” but we do lose a lot of the blessings God has prepared for us. The life of a disciple isn’t very attractive to our flesh, but it is loaded with incredible blessings the world knows nothing about.

I have known the term and the concept for as long as I can remember, but genuine discipleship is something I’m still growing into. I am very grateful that on some levels this verse describes me, because I can’t really begin my day without taking time to listen to God and respond to Him. He has given me a gift for words, which was recognized from when I was much younger, but the question remains whether I consistently use my words to “sustain the weary,” as the NIV puts it. Too often, even now, my words wound rather than heal, but my prayer is that will continue to change. I delight to share what the Lord speaks to me, but I must never do so in pride, talking down to people. I’ve got to be an obedient disciple myself! I know from countless experiences that I am imperfect and prone to stumble, and I’ve got to keep a firm grip on Daddy’s hand to keep from falling flat on my face. If I will do that, He will use me to teach others to take His hand as well, so that together we may be His disciples to do His will for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the conference we’ll be attending from today. I pray that every attendee would have a tender heart to hear what You are saying to them individually, so that the Body of Christ may be cleansed and built up, knowing who we are in Christ and living that out consistently, for the salvation of this nation and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!