Good morning Jesus,I need your Spirit to draw me to embrace you this morning , so I cn embrace others throughout my day.
Stop and read the 12 verses of Isaiah 53
Who would have believed what we just heard?
When was the Lord’s power revealed through him? V. 1
The nations will be shocked because they have never heard of a deliver who would be willing to humble himself and fall so low in order to save and deliver the people he rules over. Who could have believed that when the “arm of the Lord” was made known and came to deliver his people it would look like this? The answer is, no one. The shocking essence of the Servant is expanded to include the entire unexpected nature of his ministry.
This man does not fit our picture of God’s deliverer at all. We are not drawn to him or his plans, “He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block.” V.7, rather we are repulsed by him and his plans that we are to pick up a cross as well and follow him..
Jesus’ birth did not shake the Roman Empire. He was not born in a palace destined to be a military leader, he was born in the back of some stable of a village Inn. The revelation of him to the world did not take place in a coronation ceremony with trumpets blasting and crowds cheering. It was simply that of a man quietly coming to the great evangelist of the day, out in the wilderness, and asking to him be baptized. We were expecting a costumed drum major to lead a triumphal parade. We got a broken man carrying a cross. Our eyes get caught up in and prefer superficial splendor. This man, says Isaiah, will have none of that.
“He was despised and rejected by people….v3” He was considered someone worthless, unworthy of attention. In the eyes of the world, He is not one of the winners, he is one of the losers. And losers can not deliver other losers. Thus the revelation of the Servant of the Lord who will deliver the Lord’s people is met with shock, astonishment, distaste, avoidance, and dismissed.
Yet in this Servant, God has found a way to both gratify his love and satisfy his justice.
Isaiah 53 is an amazing premonition, written thousands of years before the birth of Jesus, of who are servant savior would be. It is a revelation of both the extreme love and the extreme justice that is at the heart of God’s desire to save his people, and the instrument through which he will save his people, the Servant, Jesus Christ.
I have spent time in “church” today. This chapter has drawn me to read it over and over. And I could write pages of thoughts on it that are filling my heart and head. I shared just a little of them. I would love to hear your thoughts and revelations from this chapter.
My family, I pray as you read today this chapter that reveals one man’s revelation of who the servant savior of the world will be, you will take time to reflect on who the servant savior, Jesus, is to you. Are you repulsed by Him and His plans that you are to pick up a cross as well, humble yourself, fall low, and follow him? Or are you embracing Him and His plan? And if so, how does your life reveal that you embrace Him and his plan, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your thoughts and experiences on fasting in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC / Toney UMC
Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!
