This is taken from NIV 365 Daily Devotional – thought it really good. Begins with a passage from Isaiah 53:4-12
4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,(A) yet we considered him punished by God,(B) stricken by him, and afflicted.(C) 5 But he was pierced(D) for our transgressions,(E) he was crushed(F) for our iniquities; the punishment(G) that brought us peace(H) was on him, and by his wounds(I) we are healed.(J) 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,(K) each of us has turned to our own way;(L) and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity(M) of us all.
7 He was oppressed(N) and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth;(O) he was led like a lamb(P) to the slaughter,(Q) and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 By oppression[a] and judgment(R) he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living;(S) for the transgression(T) of my people he was punished.[b] 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,(U) and with the rich(V) in his death, though he had done no violence,(W) nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the Lord’s will(Y) to crush(Z) him and cause him to suffer,(AA) and though the Lord makes[c] his life an offering for sin,(AB) he will see his offspring(AC) and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper(AD) in his hand. 11 After he has suffered,(AE) he will see the light(AF) of life[d] and be satisfied[e]; by his knowledge[f] my righteous servant(AG) will justify(AH) many, and he will bear their iniquities.(AI) 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,[g](AJ) and he will divide the spoils(AK) with the strong,[h] because he poured out his life unto death,(AL) and was numbered with the transgressors.(AM) For he bore(AN) the sin of many,(AO) and made intercession(AP) for the transgressors. Do you feel tired or poor? Do you long for freedom? Do you feel tossed by life’s storms? Most of us experience these conditions at some point. Isaiah describes Someone who understands exactly how we feel. Even his own people rejected this “man of suffering” (Isaiah 53:3). Many hated him. Nothing about his mere physical appearance attracted people. In short, most of us wouldn’t have given this person the time of day.
Yet this passage describes the most compelling individual in the history of the world. Somehow we can’t resist him. Perhaps it’s what he offers: himself as one like us—one who knows sorrow and yet who offers peace and relief. He offers himself as the sacrifice for our sins. He is the Messiah. And Isaiah makes it clear that Jesus identifies with all the difficulties we could ever face. He knows what it’s like to be crushed, despised, rejected and in deep emotional pain. He knows the quiet desperation we endure when faced with mounting bills, job loss, marital discord, parenting challenges and all the other stuff of life that—if we’re wise—sends us to our knees.
Take a few moments to reread the passage for today and let the words sink into your consciousness. This Jesus, the very Son of God, came to Earth for the very purpose of becoming one of us, albeit temporarily. So when we kneel before Jesus, we kneel before one who can relate to our struggles and hardships. He kneels alongside us to revitalize our energy, provide relief from our stress, set us free from sin and enable us to endure life’s storms. Then, through his powerful Holy Spirit, he offers us a fresh start.
This week let’s pray for T Square, Clavin, Freon, Purple Haze, Roscoe, Hacksaw, Boss, Short Sale
Tiger