Sensing the Sacred in a New Year

Isaiah 42:1-9

¹ But here is my servant, the one I uphold; my chosen, who brings me delight. I’ve put my spirit upon him; he will bring justice to the nations. ² He won’t cry out or shout aloud or make his voice heard in public. ³ He won’t break a bruised reed; he won’t extinguish a faint wick, but he will surely bring justice. ⁴ He won’t be extinguished or broken until he has established justice in the land. The coastlands await his teaching. ⁵ God the LORD says the one who created the heavens, the one who stretched them out, the one who spread out the earth and its offspring, the one who gave breath to its people and life to those who walk on it ⁶ I, the LORD, have called you for a good reason. I will grasp your hand and guard you, and give you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations, ⁷ to open blind eyes, to lead the prisoners from prison, and those who sit in darkness from the dungeon. ⁸ I am the LORD; that is my name; I don’t hand out my glory to others or my praise to idols. ⁹ The things announced in the past—look—they’ve already happened, but I’m declaring new things. Before they even appear, I tell you about them.