Back to All Events

Isaiah 61:1-3, The Spirit of the Lord

Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners;
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
— Isaiah 61:1-2a

NL Daily Devotion for Thursday, January 21, 2021

by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff


Jesus begins his ministry in the book of Luke by quoting this passage from Isaiah. He’s clear that God’s call to him is to serve the oppressed, the broken-hearted, the prisoners. And that’s going to put him in conflict with a whole lot of people. No oppressor likes people standing up to them, whether it’s the Roman Empire, the upper echelons of Jewish society, or U.S. institutions that systematically favor the privileged at the expense of everyone else.

Jesus is still with us, folks. God with us. Dwelling in and through us. It’s still Jesus’ call to do these things, which means it’s our call. And that means we’re going to be in conflict with people. But we’re not alone any more than Jesus was. God has the power to transform and liberate, and when we heed God’s call, we are transformed and liberated, too.

What Bible verse best sums up my sense of purpose?