Listen to me, O coastlands,
\nand hearken, you peoples from afar.
\nThe Lord called me from the womb,
\nfrom the body of my mother he named my name.
\nHe made my mouth like a sharp sword,
\nin the shadow of his hand he hid me;
\nhe made me a polished arrow,
\nin his quiver he hid me away.
\nAnd he said to me, \u201cYou are my servant,
\nIsrael, in whom I will be glorified.\u201d\u009d
\nBut I said, \u201cI have labored in vain,
\nI have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
\nyet surely my right is with the Lord,
\nand my recompense with my God.\u201d\u009d
\nAnd now the Lord says,
\nwho formed me from the womb to be his servant,
\nto bring Jacob back to him,
\nand that Israel might be gathered to him,
\nfor I am honored in the eyes of the Lord,
\nand my God has become my strength\u201d\u201d
\nhe says:
\n\u201cIt is too light a thing that you should be my servant
\nto raise up the tribes of Jacob
\nand to restore the preserved of Israel;
\nI will give you as a light to the nations,
\nthat my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
–Isaiah 49:1-6<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Listen to me, O coastlands, and hearken, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of…<\/span><\/p>\n