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Isaiah 50:4-5

⁴The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. 5 The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward. ⁵The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward.

The LORD was addressing the sins of the nation of Judah, but then He asked if He had somehow become powerless to save. At that point the prophecy switches to expressions from the Messiah. God gives Him the words to sustain the weary. That is why He encouraged all who were weary and burdened to come to Him (Matthew 11:28). His words will sustain us.

Where did He get these words that so powerfully touch our souls? Every morning Jesus would find a place to pray and hear from the Father (Mark 1:35). His spiritual ears were awake to hear instruction. Every day was lived in obedience to the Father. God opened His ears to hear and He received and obeyed what He heard.

Why is it that we have such a hard time hearing the voice of the LORD? Jesus told us that His sheep listen to His voice (John 10:3). Could it be that we are not surrendered to obey and therefore our ears are not awakened? If our hearts are determined to do what we want, rather than to obey our LORD, we have rebellious hearts. If we want our ears to be awakened, we must first surrender our hearts to serve in any ways the LORD would direct us.

Consider: If you are weary, Jesus has a word to sustain you. Surrender your heart to do His will and your ear will be awakened. Follow His example.