But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53: 5-6
The prophet
Isaiah addressed the Jewish people around 700 B.C., during the time that they
were in captivity in Babylonia. They were displaced and miserable. Isaiah was
reminding them that they needed to turn away from their sinful ways and back to
God, who had promised to send a messiah to save them. Isaiah seemed to know more about the
future savior than anyone, and he accurately foretold the suffering that Jesus
would endure in order to save God’s people. But while the Jewish people had to wait
hundreds of years for their messiah, and many did not recognize Him when he
appeared, we have the advantage of knowing “the rest of the story,” as told in
the New Testament. By sending His son to earth, God proved how much He loves
even His sinful people, and we have only to believe His promise that our faith
in Jesus Christ will lead us to “the peace that surpasses all understanding.”
Prayer: Gracious and loving God, as we prepare to celebrate
His birth, we thank You for the mercy You have shown Your sinful people by
sending Jesus to live among us. We thank You for the peace that comes with our
faith in the Trinity, and we pray that others will find such peace as well. Thy
kingdom come; Thy will be done. Amen.
Judith
Keller (reprinted from the Eastridge Advent Devotional, 2016)
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