A couple of weeks ago I went for a long walk with my dear friend Chloe. Along this walk we just started talking about Jesus and basically speaking truth to each other since we were both struggling with a few things at the time.
Upon arriving home, and I firmly believe this was a God-thing, Chloe and I decided to read through some scripture. We chose Isaiah and I don't think we could have picked a better book.
We didn't really have a specific verse in mind and instead just read through a couple chapters at a time and let the Lord do the rest of the work.
He did.
Particularly what caught my attention was Isaiah 53. Something about reading through this struck a nerve in me and my mind and heart followed shortly thereafter.
Starting in verse 2 -
He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a rood out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide faces he was despised and we esteemed him not.
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought up peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
And again in verse 7
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth, he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Woah! Talk about a mind-blowing experience after reading that. Enough to move me to tears. There isn't anything I'm going through right now that God hasn't gone through already. It was in that moment where everything just clicked and I felt immediate conviction for allowing myself to think I was struggling alone.
God knows. The God of the universe, powerful, mighty, and strong king - He knows the pain. He knows troubles. He knows exactly how it felt/feels. Not saying anything I'm going through comes close to what he had to endure on our behalf, but what I'm saying is that when it feels as though no one understands what's happening or that somehow you think you're the only one struggling with that 1 thing - think again. Because God knows and in his great love and mercy He always provides a way out of something.
Isaiah 43:4-5
"Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you"
Chills. Mind blown. Thank you Jesus for loving and saving me.
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