"But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.....that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed." The Message (MSG) Isaiah 53:2-6
Whoever said life is easy lied to you.
It doesn't take long in this fallen world to recognize that life isn't fair, it's not always easy, it can be tough.
Can you count the wounds you've suffered at the hands of life thus far?
Can you count the little disfigurements that have deeply or persistently harmed or wounded you in some way?
Be honest. Doesn't matter if it seems like an insignificant blow. The time you were teased in 4th grade for not having the shoes everyone else was wearing at the time counts too. Oh, maybe you blew it off, you could care less. But deep down it slightly altered your perception of self. If you were honest. Or the boss who overlooked your qualifications and promoted someone else unjustly.Or maybe it's the more tragic losses in life. Loved ones die young. Abuse at the hands of an abuser. And darker clouds linger. To take a moment of honesty, there's been something said or done something that has caused us pain. And that's just it.
Every. Single. Little. Pain. Disfigurement. These little things in this world that crush down, rip into and tear at identity, thoughts, and ultimately our view of the world and walk with the living God.
HE took it on himself to make us whole. To make US whole.
Do we even KNOW what that means?
Recently I've really enjoyed singing a song by Birdy called "People Help the People" and the lyrics are what stand out to me. Only God knows all the little things that cause a heart pain. They are not insignificant to him, and that's why He is cherished this world over. Grand abuses and small pains all layed on him.
"God knows what is hiding in those weak and drunken hearts
Guess he kissed the girls and made them cry
Those hard-faced queens of misadventure
God knows what is hiding in those weak and sunken lives
Fiery throngs of muted angels
Giving love but getting nothing back, oh
.....God knows what is hiding in this world of little consequence
Behind the tears, inside the lies
A thousand slowly dying sunsets
God knows what is hiding in those weak and drunken hearts
Guess the loneliness came knocking
No one needs to be alone, oh singin'"
He didn't come to make a huge display of all His God powers. He came to impact heart after heart, life after life. It wasn't some grandiose display like the Great Gatsby and all his glorious parties. Although when we celebrate what He has done in every heart He's done it, there will be party after party. Celebration after celebration to come in hearts of every generation. But unlike those who have power and wealth might pull out all the stops, God came gently. He was not attractive to look at. He suffered. He was well versed in the pains of this life, the little disfigurements that skew the big picture. And....
God knows what is hiding in those hearts.....
hiding in that world of little consequence.....
He carried this.
our disfigurements,
our failures.
our sins and the sins done to us.
He took it all. And when we take all of Him, it made us whole.
It was His delight to serve God as our living sacrifice. He chose to be crushed with our pains.
Yet out of that darkness, out of every darkness in the crevice of every soul that has yet to still be healed, even there, God says it was all worth it. He is ready to make His home in us this Christmas. He was glad to do it. Why?
Our disfigurements nailed on Christ turn into our richest, extravegant blessings. Our righteousness. Our right standing with God.
He looked death's loneliness and darkness in the face.
He embraced the lowest place.
He took your dark world on His shoulders and carried it.
And that's why He was born. The weight of it crushed him for one dark Friday night but two days later, those dark things were no longer on His shoulders but under His feet.
And that's why He was born. The weight of it crushed him for one dark Friday night but two days later, those dark things were no longer on His shoulders but under His feet.
Who can believe this message?
It's truly the greatest heart miracle when you do.
And when you do, you can rest assured that Christmas has come to you.
It's truly the greatest heart miracle when you do.
And when you do, you can rest assured that Christmas has come to you.
