Daily Devotional: Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Scripture Reading
Isaiah 53:2 (KJV) “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground:”
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant,
Some babies are huge! My Dad was over twelve pounds when he was born. Some babies are tiny. I saw a little boy recently who was just half a pound when he was born. His mother and the nurses took such good care of him that he lived! Isn’t that wonderful? When my Dad was born, he was twenty-four times as big as this other little baby.
Here is the first unbelievable thing Isaiah has to tell them about the Messiah. The Messiah won’t look big or strong. People who see Him will dismiss him. People won’t choose Him for their team because He’ll look really weak and small. He’ll look like Mary Louise Weeks—a tender plant.
and as a root out of a dry ground:
The Messiah is the arm of God, remember? And how strong is God’s arm?
But the Messiah will come looking like a piece of grass growing in a crack in your sidewalk. Don’t step on it!
You remember yesterday, in verse one, Isaiah said no one would believe what he was going to tell them about the Messiah?
Now he’s giving that report. Now he tells them everyone’s going to think the Messiah is really weak. The Messiah will look like a little spindly sprig of green clawing its way out of dry ground. Like a blade of grass clawing its way out of a crack in the sidewalk.
Questions
How much did you weigh when you were born? Were you a strong or weak baby?
Would you choose someone weak and vulnerable to be the captain of your team?
Why would God send His Son to us weak and vulnerable?
Song
Jesus Paid It All
I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”
Refrain:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow’r and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone. [Refrain]
For nothing good have I
Where-by Thy grace to claim;
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb. [Refrain]
And when, before the throne,
I stand in Him complete,
“Jesus died my soul to save,”
My lips shall still repeat. [Refrain]
Prayer for the Day
Heavenly Father, may we never despise weakness—not in ourselves, nor in others; especially not in the example of Your Son. Instead, O God, help us rather to boast in weakness so that the power of Christ may dwell in us, for when we are weak then You are strong. Yes, Father, we want to know Your strength. Amen.
Other prayer requests
God to humble our hearts
Repentance for ourselves and nation
Mercy and healing for those who are suffering
Scripture Memory this Week
Isaiah 53:5-6 (KJV)
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
