Text: Isaiah 53:5
Ok, Sisters. Here’s where we get to the nitty gritty of meditation. Buckle up.
We are reading just one verse today. ONE. Uno. Anyone else getting squirmy already, or just me?
The beauty and the balm, the ugly and the “ouch” of sitting in just one verse of scripture is exactly that — there’s nowhere to run. It’s just us and the truth. No distractions. No runaway truck ramps for a quick escape route to the next chapter or verse.
What a verse to give our hearts and attention to today. Let’s meditate on this line from Isaiah about the sacrifice of our Lord. Use the prompts below if you’d like, or not. Just focus your mind and heart on Isaiah 53:5 with us today.
For reflection:
What emotion rises within you when you think of a person taking a physical punishment for some else’s wrongdoing? Let that emotion lead you into awe and praise of the Lord.
Think on the juxtaposition of the words “chastisement” and “peace.” Give thanks for the peace that is ours in Christ Jesus.
Allow the awful imagery of Christ’s crucifixion and the glorious promises of salvation move you into a time of preparing your heart for Holy Week. Lay the whole of you before God in a prayer of repentance and thanks.
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65 thoughts on "meditation: Isaiah 53:5"
It’s 1 Peter 2:24 NOT 2 Peter.
I am speechless, humbled beyond everything one can ever imagine…..He took it all upon him for my sake…..our sake….and inspite and despite everything….He came back for me….for us…..to save us……
I often read your article for getting a clear idea. A Unique idea thanks for sharing. This post is really useful.
pulse meditation
when i see someone else taking the punishment for someone else, i feel angry and feel like it's not fair. it was my punishment He was taking, it was my sin He was carrying. it wasn't fair, but in His grace He loved us that much. He stepped out of the boundaries of what fair looks like and lavished grace. what an amazing Saviour!
I was very struck by the line "Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace." It is humbling and incredible that Jesus would be pierced for my transgressions and crushed for my iniquities. He took my chastisement so that I could have peace, and yet I so rarely dwell in that peace.
This is a really long post… just many, many thoughts, writing them out helps make it real in me… sorry for the novel.
This reminds me of a quote I hold very dear:
"I have come into this world to see this:
the sword drop from men’s hands even at the height
of their arc of anger
because we have finally realized there is just one flesh to wound
and it is His – the Christ’s,
our Beloved’s." –Hafiz, Poet
Needless to say, I'm crying. A few years ago, my high school youth group did something extremely moving for Holy Week's Wednesday. As the band played, they carried a huge wooden cross out. They asked us students to write down the things we've been struggling with, our sins, our conflicts with each other, our harsh opinions towards others, the things we prided ourselves in outside of Christ and his sacrifice, the identity we had given ourselves apart from Him… and to nail them, one by one, to the cross. To see it all as finished, forgiven, done away with. The feeling in that room was one of complete mourning, crying, rejoicing– we had all truly realized the horror and death of our sin. We had all truly realized who we were wounding. We had all truly realized what our pride and claiming ungodly identity had done to the Creator of this universe, to the person of Christ. We understood the gravity of it all.
But we had all also truly realized who had taken it all away for good, who had decided to be wounded so that we could find true healing. Who loved us so much that he saw us in the womb– not even fully formed, some of us with no name yet, no senses, no will yet– knew all that we would do to brutally crush and slash him, mock and chastise him, push him aside and yell at him, completely abuse him in every way, and lovingly said, "Yes. You see her? I LOVE her. I would die for her– I will die for her." He's died for every sin I've committed, for every hurt I've inflicted, every sinful failure I have in life… everything I am doing, and everything I will do. He died so that ALL OF THAT could be finished. HEALED.
Now that I think of it (and do not get me wrong, I'm not meaning to create a heretical theology here at all), Christ truly went to that place of hell on Earth, that complete anguish, both physically and emotionally… all for us. He decided to undergo that pain, that death, so that we would never have to.
Lord, forgive me for not submitting myself to you in everything.
Forgive me for chasing after sin that leads to death when you so lovingly died for me.
Forgive me for seeking validation and approval from men when you already decided that I was worth dying for to have.
Forgive me for seeking boys' approval, when you already did the ultimate wooing, performed the ultimate act of love for me.
Forgive me for compromising what you've told me to fit into that mob of scoffers better.
Forgive me for beating myself up over sin when you let yourself be wounded so that I would never have to be.
Forgive me for not believing your promises and words– for not letting myself be that truly HEALED person, when you did all of this so that I would be truly healed.
Forgive me for not being fully content with the love you've given me– a love, that in reality, is THE LOVE, the ONLY LOVE worth ever having.
Lord, I pray you'd make this more and more real in me, always: You want to be together. My sin no longer separates me from you, all in the name of Jesus Christ, Yeshua, Emmanuel, The Messiah. Your sacrifice does not reflect any "worthiness" I claim– for my good works are nothing but bloody rags, defiled even in their "purity"– but happened despite it.
Praise you, Lord Jesus. Let me live with and in this truth more and more.
AMEN AnnaLee…AMEN. So wonderfully said and prayed…..I will join you in your pray as I too need to ask forgiveness for all I've taken for granted, all I've abused, all I've walked away from…the list is endless….bless you friend…
Think I might use your cross idea with my small group next week….Thank you. X x x
Beautiful, Tina. If you do, keep me updated! It certainly did an amazing work in my life… I pray the Lord would be close to you and bless you!
A perfect person dying for underserving imperfect people…I pray that the Lord continues to give me the understanding to know what he really did for me on Cavalry
I feel so very blessed to have found this community of women who remind me of Christ's sacrifice daily.
Could use some prayers for a friend's brother with Leukemia. I just got news that he isn't able to hold his blood transfusions anymore. Please pray for a miracle or at least comfort for her family!
Praying… Geri….God bless you with the right words of peace, His word and love….x
Life is full of cost . . . and this is the GREATEST cost of them ALL!
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
And this cost was paid by one man, the triune God. Yes this second person in the trinity–Jesus Christ our Lord paid the debt.
He was:
Wounded–injury to body, skin, tissue or organ broken by some external force such as blow
Afflicted–cause distress; to cause severe physical or mental distress (pain)
Crushed–1) subdued or brought low in condition or status; a broken man, his broken spirit 2) emotionally devastated, extremely upset saddened or depressed
Chastisement–1) suffering loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense 2) severe criticism or rebuke or strong reprimand
Stripes–a blow from a whip, lash, cane or belt * PUNISHMENT
My (our) part in the above:
I (you) did the transgressions — sin; wrong-doing; violation of law
I (you) put my inequities on Him — gross injustice or wickedness; sin; evil
Yet how did Jesus Christ respond?
He brought me (you) peace — to be complete; whole; to live well; right relationship
He healed me (you) — to free from evil; cleanse; purify; to heal the soul; reconcile from former amity
This verse, as ugly and horrific as it is — is our very life. If we can see that WE did this hideous crime — If we can confess that WE are the evil one that inflicted Jesus Christ — If WE will only repent of this crime — Jesus Christ the highly exalted one is ready to heal us through His death.
I'm sorry that my name is written on the bill that Christ picked up. May I always PRAISE God for this amnesty through His Son.
In keeping with the theme of music, this song was running through my mind this morning – Citizen Way, "How Sweet The Sound" – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXMNzaZgMEM
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
I hear You singing over me
I once was lost but now I'm found
And it's a beautiful…
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
It covers every part of me
My soul is silent, I am found
And it's a beautiful sound
1 Peter 2:24 – "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed."
Amen, Hallelujah, Thank you Lord. How ridiculously we don't deserve this grace, and yet how freely He gives it…even when it cost Him His life.
My immediate response to this verse was a deep conviction. This tiny verse tells me my exact identity: the wrath of God satisfied in the brutal suffering of a Savior… all so that I may live in peace. Peace with God. Peace with man. Peace with myself.
But am I living out this? In reality, my daily walk looks more like this: Fearful of God, anxious of man, insecure about myself.
Am I walking in the belief that I am who God says I am?
I am gently propelled toward this goal.
As am I. Thanks for sharing!!
It breaks my heart to think that someone else had to pay for my sins. But because He died, we can live. Could there be any sweeter words to hear to remind us of what is coming on that third day…
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.
amazing Grace, and such amazing love…..what a God we serve Jodi….Blessings…x
This morning as part of my meditation, I looked up this verse in different translations. I found God speaking most clearly through the New Living Translation.
"But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be WHOLE. He was whipped so we could be HEALED."
For the past few months, this has been my constant prayer to be healed and whole. I want to fully walk in my identity as HIs daughter, but boy has it been a struggle. This verse offered me hope knowing because of what Jesus on the cross did, I am healed from my past & made whole even with my insecurities. Now it's just time to walk in this Truth daily focusing on His strength not my weakness.
"He was beaten so we could be WHOLE. He was whipped so we could be HEALED." – I LOVE that!
Kelley, I completely understand struggling with your identity in Christ. Embrace the truth that your identity doesn't depend on your feelings, but on the truth of Christ's work on the cross.
Amen, Kelley! You are healed from your past and made whole. And remember WHY He did these things for you…it wasn't because He saw you as flawed and needy and helpless and desperately in need of Him (although that is true too)–it was out of LOVE. I think sometimes in our identity struggles we tend to forget that we are beloved, desired, and chosen. It doesn't make sense to us–why would anyone feel that way about US, especially if they really knew us?!–but He knows us completely and loves us for who we really are. He was pierced for our rebellion because He LOVES us. Crushed for our sins because He LOVES us. Beaten because He LOVES us. I take care of my daughter (who is 16 months) because she is needy, yes–but ultimately, because I love her and it brings me such great joy to be in a loving relationship with her. That's how God feels about you (x100000) – He is thrilled to be in a loving and intimate relationship with You, not just to fix you but simply because He loves you.
Throughout this season of Lent, I have been intentional about stopping and seeing Jesus, covered in my sin, dripping His blood for my peace and healing. This morning, the song, By His Wounds, has been playing in my head. I stumbled across this video, which broke me and brought me to tears and to my knees. It is graphic…they used scenes from The Passion of the Christ. http://youtu.be/G-8QdOxzh5Y Thank you, Jesus, for your sacrifice and the peace and healing that it brought.
I hate being reminded of my indebtedness. Which is exactly why I need to be reminded of my indebtedness.
Thank you all for your insights and contributions, ladies.
HA! I completely relate. Sometimes I greatly resent that I can't do it all on my own. But…what a relief it is to know that the Lord never intended for me to save myself…because I can't! We are indebted to Him, because we don't have to try and make ourselves righteous on our own.
Always…always and always gets me every single time…I read this text or even think about what our Lord and Savior has done for me, us, mankind. I am humbled and awestrucked, and moved to overwhelming emotion. And I cry, and I cry. As I sit on this bus reading the text, all of your words, I cry some more. With a song of repentance, priase and thanks in my heart, I don’t mine the stares at all. Thanks be to God, for sending his only begotten son to be our kinsman redeemer. Thank you Abba Father, and Christ the King for the gift of salvation!
So thankful for a God that LOVES me that much!!! Wow I stand in awe! By HIS wounds we are healed!!!!
Brings me to a song that fills me to overflowing, but brings me to tears!
This is how I know what love is….. Misty Edwards, Arms Wide Open
http://youtu.be/f2ZCIp0HiRo
In keeping with the song theme. Healed by Nicole Nordeman.
Oh, We stutter and we stammer till You save us
A symphony of chaos till You play us
Phrases on the pages of unknown
‘Til You read us into poetry and prose
We are kept and we are captive till You free us
Vaguely unimagined ‘til You dream us
Aimlessly unguided ‘til You lead us home
CHORUS:
By Your voice we speak
By Your strength no longer weak
We are no longer weak
And by Your wounds we are healed
And by Your wounds we are healed
Passed over and passed by until you claim us
Orphaned and abandoned ‘til you name us
Hidden and disclosed ‘til you expose you hearts
CHORUS:
By your death we live
It is by your gift that we might give
That we might give
And by your wounds we are healed
And by your wounds we are healed
What kind of love would take your
shame and spill his blood for you
Save us by His wounds
By your wounds, we are healed
By your wounds, we are healed
What kind of love
By your wounds, we are healed
Tell me what kind of love is this
By your wounds, we are healed.
God made the ultimate sacrifice to free us! He has unconditional love for us.
How he loves us, oh how he loves us, oh how he loves…. us!…..
He went through all of that so let's not keep it to ourselves!! Let's tell others so they can have peace and be healed as well!
AMEN…..indeed Laura…..this is not something to keep under the bed…..x
Good morning, ladies. One of the things that always strikes me the most is reading passages like this from the OLD Testament–that is, hundreds of years before Jesus was even BORN! This is not Paul writing to a city and explaining the Gospel after Jesus had already died, this is the Spirit at work, explaining the crazy gift of salvation that was still to come from Jesus coming into the world. How great is our Lord that He has had this plan in store from the very beginning of creation. As Ephesians 1:4 tells us, before God created the Universe He had our salvation in mind. Thank you, Lord, for saving us since the beginning and giving us a great hope for the future!
I still have a tough time wrapping my mind around that concept sometimes. Isn't it amazing how He planned for us? Such love.
So true! This was the Lord's plan from the beginning…He knew we would blow it, and He knew He would have to save us. His plan was and is always to give us the grace we don't deserve.
Along with so many of you, I was singing "By His Wounds" while pondering this verse. What a great soundtrack to have running through my head. Then I personalized it…I made it my own…and here's what it looks like:
"You were pierced for my transgressions. You were crushed for my sins. The punishment that brought me peace, was upon You. And by Your wounds, I am healed. "
It never escapes me that this verse tells us that 'We Are Healed' – not that we will be healed – but that we ARE healed. We have to remember that this verse happens 800 years before Christ. When we run into it in 2Peter 2:24, we are told that we WERE healed.
We ARE healed – We WERE healed. There is no question here of what His intent is for us. That's just how much He loves us.
I love this! We ARE healed! Not "we will be healed" when we get to heaven, or after this difficult situation has passed by, or…. whatever. We ARE healed, whether we "feel" healed at any given point in the day, dealing with co-workers, children, bill collectors, etc. We ARE healed! Such a lovely, encouraging, and (now) responsibility-giving thought! Only by His grace through the power of His Spirit will we live HEALED! Thank you for sharing!
Amen, Janee, AMEN.bless you for that insight….x
Yes…! I love that there is no uncertainty in the Word of the Lord…we ARE healed, both now and forever.
Thank you for linking 2 Peter 2:24 up with today's meditation.
I love what you just pointed out, Brooke! Our spirituality IS a physical thing. It was very, very real pain that Jesus endured on the cross for us. This verse really helps the harsh reality and somber gravity of the whole transaction sink in.
I was saved in this verse. So incredibly powerful. We transgressed – He was wounded. We commited iniquities – He was bruised. He received chastisement – we got peace. He received stripes – we are healed. Oh, how He loves us!
I love how you put that – Im writing that in my journal.
"We transgressed – He was wounded. We commited iniquities – He was bruised. He received chastisement – we got peace. He received stripes – we are healed."
Powerful!
That contrast is amazing!
Joanne, to echo the above replies…..beautifully said…..and so true…bless you sister.x x
Father, Thank you for this in comprehensible mercy! Jesus, thank you for your incomprehensible sacrifice! Holy Spirit, thank you for penetrating my wicked sinful heart! May I never take this for granted! Amen
First comment here on SRT! Here it goes…
What is so incredible to me is that Christ was physically beaten, struck, chastised for MY sins. For my wrongdoings he took it all. I often think of my religion and spirituality as just a mental thing… a non-physical thing. Something I do in my head (pray!) because I don't talk about it outloud as much as I should. But Christ is my entire life… he is why I am physically standing on this earth. That's the TRUTH and thank you Lord for everything. Amen.
Hey there, Brooke!! Welcome to SRT!!
Redeemed….Big Daddy Weave!!!!!!! Thank you God that I'm not who I used to be!! Only by the grace am I redeemed!
I made the mistake of doing today's reading at work, and now feel like I'm going to burst into tears at any moment.
This verse is absolutely beautiful in its harshness and truth. This imagery is what brought me to Christ. The thought that someone else took all of the pain and hurt of my sin upon themselves in order to wash clean my slate. So amazing. Lord, I thank you for the sacrifice you gave of your son Jesus Christ, who suffered and died so that I might come to you washed clean of my sin. It is in his name I pray, Amen.
Megan, you definitely have to be cautious where you do the SRT devotion. I was once on the bus ready to shout up and down the aisle because of some revelation I got from that day's lesson. Christ could have stopped it all and fled from being crucified but "Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,". That is a heavy tear jerking concept.
me too! They are beautiful words with such a powerful truth.
Good morning sisters. What a great blessing to come before God with you this morning. I was stuck by the brutality of Christ's suffering this morning, which is all over this verse. I've been wrestling with a horrible crime committed in my community not too long ago, praying and mourning for the victims and just overall horrified by the situation. As I was meditating on this verse, I realized that such a high price was paid so that the WHOLE world may come to God freely, including the attacker. So I prayed for him as well and it seemed that the ugliness of that sin was fitting for Christ's brutal death.
But then…ah but then, God reminded me that if I had been the only one who needed saving, just MY sin needed atonement, Jesus would have still been PIERCED for MY transgressions, still CRUSHED for MY iniquities…oh Jesus. Thank You for leveling me, for reminding me that, before Your death I was no better than anyone and after Your sacrifice, I am no worse. Please Lord, help me to now live like it.
Stacie, praise God ..for .that reminder that if there were only you or I, He would still die for us…..what an awesome God, what amazing grace, what unfathomable love….bless you Stacie, will be holding you and your community up in prayer. X
Ouch, Stacie you just said something that really knock me over the head." …..the ugliness of that sin was fitting for Christ's brutal death."
THE UGLINESS OF OUR SINS WAS FITTING FOR CHRIST'S BRUTAL DEATH…….
What can I say or offer in return….. Thank you just don't seem enough, but I say thank you Lord!
3 great songs to carry in my heart today as I reflect on His grace and what love it took for him to take my place. Be blessed today
Ok, no runaway truck ramp off to other verses, but God's Word and Spirit always works that way for me. Immediately Hebrews 2:10 and Hebrews 12:4-17 came to mind…Christ was perfected in his suffering, and the Lord disciplines us because he loves us…we are to become righteous and holy through our suffering and his discipline. Praising Jesus today that he took the full wrath of a holy and just God that we might know the extravagant love of our Father.
And sticking with the music theme, couldn't help but immediately sing, "By His Wounds."
I was singing that since I saw the scripture above…I love that song!
I find it pretty cool that already this morning, this verse and meditation has evoked music in our hearts. The song that the Lord brought to my mind is this one: http://youtu.be/MkYH90GsRuM
That has been one of my favorites for many years.
And the other thing that caught my attention this morning was the "juxtaposition of chastisement and peace." Being chastised does not readily bring one peace. There is usually a level of hurt and pain involved. But when done/received in a loving manner, chastisement strengthens and bonds the parties involved even more than before. It brings an increased peace between the two. But how does this chastisement of Another bond me closer to the One whom I've sinned against? How does it bring peace?
The chastisement meted out in this case was severe. Had it been meted out upon me, I would have only eternal torture, never any opportunity for peace again. BUT GOD… gave grace. BUT GOD… gave mercy. BUT GOD… spared my life and gave my punishment to Another instead. He gave me right standing with Him. He opened my eyes to recognize my great need for that Other. He gave me peace.
Thanks so much for sharing that song. I've never heard it before and it's stunning
This verse of Scripture took my mind directly to the hymn below, he it blesses your hearts as it did mine.
When I survey the wondrous Cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the Cross of Christ, my God;
All the vain things that charm me most
I sacrifice them to His blood.
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my heart, my life, my all!
Isaac Watts & Hymns Ancient and Modern (1707)
Yesterday as I was reading before I fell asleep a piece of paper fell out of the book…I had written on this paper the words to 'Were you there when they crucified my Lord…..when they nailed Him to the tree, were you there….' I do tremble, most days when I hear this, or read words like Isaiah 53: 5, see pictures…..the stations of the cross….you will usually find me sitting quietly tortured and on my knees……why would anyone do that for ME? Why? What do I have to give in return? Who would do that for a sinner, 'a bad lot' such as myself, ? In this world, we throw the words 'I would give anything ….' a lot, but actually, truthfully, hand on heart, how many of us, when it came to the crunch, would actually 'give anything' ? Yet good intention was there, right? …..How many times did Jesus mention his death, and how many times was He taken seriously? Knowing who we are, what we are, He still went to His death for us, He did… He so did.
He was pierced for our transgressions;… I would normally ask why but today I just say…Thank you, Jesus..
HE was crushed for our iniquities; Thank you Jesus…
upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace,…I stand in awe of this gift, Lord Jesus…Thank you…
and with his wounds we are healed …what can I say, but Thank you Jesus…
Pressed the button by mistake…
I sit here now with tears flowing down my face….Jesus gave it all…He did…He so did…that I would have a chance in this world, that I would know a love above all loves, and share it, that I would know forgiveness, and be forgiven, that I would know redemption, and be redeemed. … that I would have faith…trust…hope, that I would have HOPE….
My heart hurts with the thought of a love like that…..for me, for us, for our families….but I also know the absolute TRUTH that God does, has and will always hold us in His heart for always, ….. He loves us…….. Oh how He loves us…..Thank you Lord God, Thank you…
…So sister's join me as I sing the last verse of 'Were you there…' ……
'Were you there when He rose up from the dead….
We're YOU there when He rose up from the dead
O.O.O.O
Sometimes I feel like shouting GLORY, GLORY GLORY…
we're YOU there when He rose up from the dead…
Blessings my sister's…with love…x x x x
I am so awestruck and humbled by how much God loves us all. We did not choose Him, He chose us. And while we were not yet born, not yet sinners, He died for our sins. For you. For me. He made a way for us to get out of the mess we are in long before we knew we needed Him. There is nothing like His love. His grace is truly amazing. Be glorified, Lord.
I am so awestruck and humbled by how much God loves us all. We did not choose Him, He chose us. And while we were not yet born, not yet sinners, He died for our sins. For you. For me. He made a way for us to get out of the mess we are in long before we knew we needed Him. There is nothing like His love. His grace is truly amazing. Be glorified, Lord.
I thank God for using SRT to bring truth and fellowship to so many of us who are in need of a loving community. SRT, thank you.