February 13: Isaiah 53:4-6

Key Verse: Isaiah 53:4
Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.

Devotion:
How many times have you taken the blame for someone else's misgivings or things they have done against others? If you are like me, then the answer is ‘not too many times!’ and yet this is the example Christ gave us when He came to live amongst us. Does this mean we need to go out of our way and take on the punishment for others so they can go free? No, because we cannot and must not judge others – we have a sinful nature and will get our priorities wrong when we try to step in for others.

We need to uphold people and encourage them to leave their sinful ways behind, not blame them and allow the law to break them down so they come crying to God. Allow God to work in their hearts by showing them hope and something to look forward to; allow God to bring their sins to the surface in His perfect timing and not our blundering ways.

Have you noticed how we sometimes get things so very wrong when we try to do things right? We have problems in our lives, each of us our own problems, each of us our own sins – we should not impose our ways or sins upon others. Christ alone is able and willing to take on our debt for the things we have done wrong – He has done this already and does not have to go back and do it over and over again as we sin over and over again. But never forget that it was because of our sins He had to be nailed to the cross – it was because of our issues we (mankind) nailed Him to the cross!

But still Christ was willing to step forward and take on this mantle so we could be free from our sin debt. Christ has paid it all, once and for all; we need to accept this truth and own it! God did not cause Jesus to be crucified – it was the call of the crowd and the giving in of the governor which made it so.

Points to Ponder:
How much have you done wrong in your life?

Do you realise Christ has paid enough to cover it all?