Text: Isaiah 53:1-12, Isaiah 54:1-17, Matthew 8:14-17, Romans 3:21-26
“The Son of God became a man to enable men to become the sons of God.”
– C.S. Lewis
Sometimes, life can be exhausting. We run around trying to accomplish all the things, maintain all the relationships, and solve all the problems. We rarely look up to consider anything but our own present circumstances.
It’s a struggle to connect the physical life with the spiritual. Why would I bother thinking of others, or looking to Christ?
God knows this about us. He knows we are a bunch of selfish, hungry stinkers with tunnel vision. He connected the physical and spiritual for us in the person of Christ. Christ became low to make His dwelling among us.
What does it mean to become low? C.S. Lewis once said, “If you want to get the hang of it, think how you would like to become a slug or a crab.” And that’s the flavor of it. Imagine becoming a slug and trying to convince the other slugs that redemption is at hand. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, you slugs! They’d probably just sigh and slime away.
That is what Christ did for us. He became low for our sakes. He gave up His glory and endured all manner of earthly suffering. Because of this, we gain everything.
Why do I let the details of the physical world obscure this most important spiritual fact? Because I’m like a slug trying to understand geometry. It’s hard. This is why I need reminders. I need to read these dear words:
“But He was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds.”
– Isaiah 53:5
Jesus knew we needed redemption. From the beginning of our existence He had our redemption planned out.
He endured sickness for our healing. He suffered loneliness for our redemption. He withstood wounds for our comfort. He braved pain for our peace. And if that wasn’t enough, He experienced separation from His Holy Father in order to bring us, wretched slugs, back into His presence.
Thanks be to the One who left everything so we could become one with Him.
One of my fav devotions thus far in this study. Strange to say how beautiful it is when being called a slug, but His love is so BEAUTIFUL!!! Thanks SRT & Rebecca for this day and all the others!!!
I am so moved by Isaiah 53. Praise the Lord for his many blessings! So very thankful for this sacrifice.
And He made us wretched slugs brand new creations– the righteousness of God. Phew! Thank You, Lord!
“The Son of God became a man to enable men to become the sons of God.” – Good ole C.S. Lewis bringin’ the wisdom haha I love this quote. It’s such a humbling thing to reflect on today!
http://www.littlelightonahill.com
These are some of my favorite verses in Isaiah. Such a pleasure to read this morning.
I’ve always had a lot of trouble with all this. Exspecially when I try to push away my troubles instead of taking them to God. I’m trying to learn how to take it to God, but I’m always afraid. I have such a great fear and struggle of being abandoned of left alone. It’s been like that since I was put in foster care. I’m 14 now and I’m still afraid, but it’s not as bad now though because I’ve been talking about this to my awesome best friend Sarah Olver and she’s helped me so much. So I just need a lot of prayer right now.
If you’re 14 and struggling AND being open and honest about it AND reading the Word, you’re on an amazing track. I’m so encouraged by that. Keep sharing in brutal honesty and being vulnerable to safe people who will point you to the Lord. It’s okay to not be okay as long as you’re seeking the Lord through prayer, his word, and others who will fight for you. You are so not alone.
I’m praying for you this morning, sweet Beverly. All you have to do to take your troubles to God is just pray them out to him. That’s it! “God I am so scared” or “God I am struggling with x”. He hears your prayers and knows your heart, and he is waiting for you to cry out to him and he’ll meet you right there in your troubles. “The name of the lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe” – God is a safe place for you to talk about your troubles. Praying God has an awesome, loving family for you ❤️
You are headed down the right path Beverly by reading His word. He loves you and will never leave you or forsake you. So grateful you have a supportive friend. I will be keeping both of you in my prayers that our Precious Lord will guide you and bring you strength and comfort. Blessings!
Praying for you sweet girl. Thank you for being brave enough to share and ask for prayer. Grateful for you.
– Stormye
When did Jesus endure sickness?
He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. (ESV)
This was the first time I read a translation that used the word “sickness”…I’ve typically been accustomed to reading “familiar with pain” and I took it to mean the pain He suffered on the Cross and also that people wouldn’t naturally think to turn to one who is suffering in pain for help unless they know why He is suffering.
Just my two cents.
Isaiah 53:5 prophesies that the Messiah “was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.” Verse 4 says, “He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains…”
When the Word became a man, He took on what it means to be human – hunger, thirst, sickness, pain, even temptation. “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness…” (Heb. 4:15). For this we rejoice!
I hope this is helpful!
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