Witnesses to the World; Isaiah 43:8-13

I’ve appeared in court on three different occasions. I was called to be a witness all three times, compelled to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And, on all three occasions, I did precisely that. The first two times, I was there to testify to the character of the defendants, or a lack thereof. I did not enjoy either of those appearances. But the last time I was called to testify was on behalf of my son, Connor. When Connor turned 18, he became an adult in the eyes of the state. I was in court to testify that, given his challenges, Connor needs our help and support and will always have our love. On December 10, 2020, with a bang of a gavel, a judge awarded us guardianship of our son. We celebrated with sushi. In Isaiah 43:1, the prophet testifies, “But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Isaiah then launches into a courtroom drama and calls his people to testify to God’s faithfulness to them. Standing before his witnesses, the Lord testifies to our need for a savior, a deliverer, and his love.