“My servant grew up in the Lord ’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! 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. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. But it was the Lord ’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord ’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.”
Isaiah 53:1-12
This is the scripture that was read during our Passover service on Easter. They played the scene of Jesus’ crucifixion from The Passion of the Christ and gave us a nail to hold as we truly thought about the sacrifice that Jesus made.
I’ve never been able to hold it together while watching those scenes and that day was no different. What was different was that it was the first time I’d truly thought about Jesus’ sacrifice since I’ve been following the Lord’s call on my life.
I spent most of my 20’s feeling shameful and guilty about my past. I felt like I had to earn God’s love and acceptance as if I no longer had it because of how I lived. I didn’t feel worthy of God’s love.
After my first mission trip, I didn’t really think missions would be a big part of my life because I didn’t think I was good enough to be a missionary. Obviously, the Lord has a sense of humor.
I’ve read and reread this passage over and over since Easter and it absolutely blows my mind every time. It breaks my heart to know what Jesus went through when He didn’t deserve it. It makes me jump for joy that He chose to go through it for ME. It amazes me to be able to understand that Jesus truly is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the bridge to the Father. He is the reason our sins have been paid for. He is the reason we are whole and healed.
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, I am sure of 2 things:
1. I am not good enough and the Lord doesn’t need me to do His work. He can do it without me but He CHOSE to use me.
2. Because of the cross, I don’t have to feel guilty or ashamed of my past. When I do, it almost feels like I’m saying what Jesus did wasn’t good enough to cover those things.
You don’t have to earn God’s love and acceptance. You don’t have to be perfect before you come to Him. He wants you in your brokenness. He wants you along with all your baggage, your shame, your guilt, your pain, your sickness, your brokenness, and your sin.
Drop your baggage, pick up your cross, and follow the worlds greatest gift.
-H
