“I, the LORD, have called You to demonstrate my righteousness. …You will be a light to guide all nations to me. You will open the eyes of the blind and free the captives from prison. You will release those who sit in dark dungeons.” Isaiah 42:6-7NLT
Isaiah 9 painted many pictures of our Christ: “great light,” “a child,” with titles: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Gentle, powerful, filled with good will— Christ who will usher in the millennial reign. Isaiah 11:1-5,10ESV relates, “a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. …the Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him--the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. He will delight in obeying the LORD. He will never judge by appearance, false evidence, or hearsay. He will defend the poor and the exploited. He will rule against the wicked and destroy them with the breath of His mouth. He will be clothed with fairness and truth. … In that day the Heir to David's throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to Him, for the land where He lives will be a glorious place.”
Isaiah 52 reveals the battered Man, Jesus, V13-14NLT “See, My servant will prosper; He will be highly exalted. Many were amazed when they saw Him --beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know He was a person.” Mel Gibson tried to encapsulate this “beaten and bloodied Christ” in— ‘The Passion.” Gibson came closer than other producers, none come close to the scriptures’ rendition.
Read on to Isaiah 53 and see Him as the suffering Servant, the Sacrifice. His life given to heal, save, bring peace, wholeness, freedom and well-being—prosperity— to everyone who would receive Him. V3-8NLT “He was despised and rejected--a Man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way… He was despised, …we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down. …we thought His troubles were a punishment from God for His own sins! But He was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! All of us have strayed away… We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on Him the guilt and sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet He never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, He did not open His mouth. From prison and trial they led Him away to His death. But who among the people realized that He was dying for their sins-- that He was suffering their punishment?”
Should you choose to disbelieve Isaiah’s report, you can read the reports of Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19 and the writings of Josephus. Isaiah foretold truth! There is nothing fictional about Christ. Knowing all this, why then did I, a Christian, find believing for healing, peace-relationships, wholeness— mental health, freedom, well-being —prosperity, even financially so difficult to believe and receive?
Jesus gave me the answer in Matthew 18:3TPT “…Unless you dramatically change your way of thinking and become teachable, and learn about heaven’s kingdom realm with the wide-eyed wonder of a child, you will never be able to enter in.” The wide-eyed wonder of the child in me had been replaced by knowledge of God’s Word, of the world, disappointments and heartaches. Age had calloused my heart. And you?
Are you willing to unlearn life? Once again to become a child trusting Jesus and Father God? It’s your choice. You choose.
PRAYER: Father we believe, help us to erase maturity and grow in faith instead, in Christ Jesus’ name I pray?
by Debbie Veilleux
Copyright 2020 You have my permission to reblog this devotional for others. Please keep my name with this devotional as author. Thank you.
