Daily Devotional: Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Scripture Reading
Isaiah 53:4 (KJV) “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”
Today, we include the text for last Friday’s devotional with the text for tonight. You remember we learned the Messiah bore our diseases and carried our sorrows? This is the backdrop for the next thing the prophet Isaiah tells us:
yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Even though Jesus was carrying our diseases and sorrows, looking at Him, we all thought he was just getting what He deserved. We thought He was being disciplined by God. We thought God was punishing Him for His Own sin—that this was why he was persecuted and mocked, despised and rejected.
“What a sad and pathetic man he is,” we said. “He must be a terrible sinner for God to treat him this way!
“Look how God is tormenting him!”
“Look how God is smashing him!”
“Look how God is afflicting him!”
This is how you and I think about people who have accidents, get sick, and die. We always have explanations for their suffering that make us feel like we are not in danger. Someone dies in a car accident and we say to ourselves (not out loud) that he was probably speeding or drunk or not driving defensively or texting. He was doing something bad for God to do that to him.
Once I had a dear Christian friend who worked in the hospital tell me that almost everyone she cared for was in the hospital because they smoked or were fat or didn’t take care of themselves. This is how we all think, isn’t it?
So when Jesus bore our diseases and carried out sorrows, we figured He deserved it.
Quote: Calvin on Isaiah 53:4 – But because they see him wounded and despised, they do not inquire about the cause, and from the event alone, as fools are in the habit of doing, they pronounce judgment.
QUESTIONS
- Does everyone in the hospital deserve their diabetes, cancer, and coronavirus?
- If you got Coronavirus, would you deserve it? Because of Adam’s sin? Because of your own sin? Or both?
- Did Jesus deserve to be hit and slapped and mocked and tormented?
SONG OF THE WEEK
Man of Sorrows
Man of Sorrows! what a name
For the Son of God, Who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood,
Sealed my pardon with His blood:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
Full atonement! can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Lifted up was He to die;
“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in heav’n exalted high:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Father, Your thoughts are high above our thoughts, and Your judgements like a deep ocean. But we are proud and think we know better than You. Forgive our foolishness in valuing our thoughts and perceptions above Your own. Help us to be humble and teachable and always to trust Your Word. Amen.
OTHER PRAYER REQUESTS
- That we could assemble together again soon
- For good health and safety for our members
- For submissive hearts before God and our leaders
SCRIPTURE MEMORY THIS WEEK
Isaiah 53:7-8 (KJV)
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
