“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. But, He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him—and with His stripes we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:4-5
From the moment He left His Home in Heaven, He knew what awaited Him here on earth; yet, He still came, simply because of His great Love for us.
“A Man of sorrows.”
That’s what some have called Jesus, the suffering Savior, of Whom Isaiah prophesied some 700 years before His arrival. There was no way for Mary and Joseph to understand what lay ahead for that tiny Babe in the manger that night; otherwise, they, too, could not have thrilled in His Birth, knowing the suffering that still awaited Him.
Even though Jesus in His infant form could not reason or grasp all that would happen to Him in the coming years, it wouldn’t take long for His natural mind to begin foreseeing the Road that lay before Him. As He “grew in stature and wisdom and favor with God and man” (Lk. 2:52), His maturing, human mind soon would soon be captivated by His omniscient One and He’d know for what purpose He had come.
Yet, He didn’t shrink back.
Even though the shadow of the Cross lay across every path He trod and every situation He experienced, He did not shrink back. He knew that HE must “bear our griefs and carry our sorrows.” He knew He’d be “wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.” He knew it would take His “chastisement and 351 stripes for us to have peace with God the Father and only by His stripes would we find healing for our souls.”
But, still, He did not turn away; neither did He say “Why Me, O Lord?”
No, with steadfast Love He “set His Face toward the Cross” (Lk. 9:51) because He knew there was no other way for us to be forgiven and adopted into His eternal Family.
So, willingly He went. And, willingly He suffered. And, willingly He died in our place on the Cross.
All because He loved us.
How does this affect you, Pilgrim?
Does this bring tears to your eyes? Does it pierce your heart and make you wince in pain? Does it move you to surrender your all to Him, lest you, too, “esteem (reckon to be so) Him as One Who is stricken, smitten and afflicted of God—i.e., cursed by God and getting what He deserves—and not esteemed as God’s most Precious Gift”?
Why not spend a few minutes right now reflecting on these wondrous Truths as you prepare for Christmas? Too often we’re so busy in last-minute shopping, cooking, wrapping presents, etc., to think about why this Babe in the manger came. Go ahead—stop right now and reflect; then, spend the rest of your day (and life) in thanksgiving and praise.
December 20, 2011
