“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4: 18-19

The above reminds me a lot of Isaiah 50:4, a truth I claim for myself regularly: “He has given me a well-instructed tongue to proclaim the word to sustain the weary.” As I read it this morning, I made the correlation I always enjoy discovering, and my heart swelled as I read of good news, liberty, sight, and favor. The excitement is unexplainable, the anticipation of His goodness and favor, and knowing that He is anointing ME (and you) to proclaim this excellent news.

I was compelled to read it again. The heaviness that comes with perceiving blind, oppressed captives also stirs compassion and excitement in me because I’m my Father’s daughter, who is love, and accomplishing His purposes under His direction is humbling; what a gift this inclusion is to us, that shared “weight of glory”!

But that’s not what brought me to tears.

He absolutely has started a good work in me, us, and is faithful to complete it. He 100% equips us for the purposes He’s had planned for us since before time as both scripture passages affirm. I am filled to overflowing when I minister to my neighbors. Even so…what got me…

I’ve been taken captive. I’ve been blinded. Even now I sense an increasing, generalized oppression, and am desperate for His favor.

I cried because I was the captive.

I cried because He’s so merciful.

I cried because there are still lost, blind captives, as Paul would say, “of which I am the worst”.

We are God’s messengers, His hands and feet. We are humbled because of what we were, even more so at what He’s saved us from, and most because our failures and subsequent deliverances continue. He. Is. Faithful.

You, we, are His handiwork, made with purpose, and filled with the Father’s joy and strength. He’s called us and saved us, CHOSE us, He walks along side us, and He calls us to rescue others for His glory and humanity’s good. You might think your hands are too small to make impact. This simply isn’t true.

There are NO small impacts for our Father’s kingdom. What we bind and loose on Earth is felt in Heaven. (Matthew 6:19, 18:18)

Believe the truth today. You are loved, you are called, and you have authority. Power. His power. You will recover and you WILL be equipped for every great purpose He has for you.

Get excited.