So Biscuit is here laying down on my floor. I forgot to bring his chewy rawhide bone to sharpen his teeth with, so I've handed him one of many copies of the Lust Control Fun Fun Feeling cassette, which he's attacked ferociously.
There are 3 days, 1 hour, 30 minutes, and 11 seconds left of deadline. I think we are nearing the end point. I have a feeling we might finish early. That will be a blessing.
We're almost through Isaiah, and at one of the most special chapters -- 53.
I love the passage that basically says that Jesus was ugly:
"...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 their faces
He was despised,
and we esteemed Him not."
Of course, the label "ugly" is subjective (and basically wrong... any time we deem something ugly we are insulting the Creator of the universe, are we not?), but this passage makes it clear that Jesus was not a male model of attractiveness.
This makes me want to befriend the friendless all the more. To esteem the person who might be beaten down and rejected by men.
And, on a side note, Pat Terry recorded an amazing song, called "Man of Sorrows," which featured Leslie (aka Sam) Phillips on vocals. It could've been Mark Heard who did that song. I always confused those two great artists. No, I'm pretty sure it was Pat Terry. Heard had another great song with Phillips, "Heart Of Hearts," I think it was called.
On another side note, this chapter proves that the DaVinci Code is a lie. This age old prophecy, this text of Isaiah, which is accepted by Jews all over the world and throughout history, makes undisputed (okay, there are many people who dispute it...namely unbelieving Jews) messianic prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. Check this out:
"...He was pierced for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,
and by His wounds we are healed..."
He was pierced with nails that attached Him to the cross. His wounds bring healing -- physical, emotional, and spiritual healing to those that reach out and "touch" Him by believing in (clinging to, trusting in, and relying on) Him.
"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 striken.
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."
He was arrested and taken away like a dirty criminal, given a mockery of a trial, beaten, and then killed. He didn't survive, marry, and raise a family. He was buried in a tomb. It's interesting how the "coincidence" of some guy having an empty tomb to bury the Lord in. Oh, and it "happened" to be a rich man's tomb.
"Yet it was the Lord's will to crush Him
and cause Him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes His life a guilt offering,'
He will see His offspring and prolong His days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in His hand...
"...because He poured out His life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For He bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors."
We are all transgressors. Jesus was numbered with us. He loves us. Even ugly ole' us. He gets close to us. He believes in us. He chooses us. The only One in the universe Who has the right to put us down chooses instead to lift us up! He was our guilty substitute. He took our place and our punishment. This is such a beautiful thing. He valued our life so much that He gave up His own. If we will just believe in Him, we will be moved to thank Him for that, and be moved to surrender our will to His. He is God. He lowered Himself for us. The least we can do is lower our selves, get on our knees, and tell Him that you love Him.
"He who is forgiven much loves much."
He has forgiven me much. I love Him. Will you join me on your knees in grateful prayer to Him?
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at July 26, 2005 11:58 AMWhen I first read Isaiah 53, I think my jaw hit the floor. I was reading The Case for Christ in an airport between flights and there it was. I was a new christian, and it was one of those "wow" moments where you just know someone somewhere seeking the truth has had to have read that at a key moment in their life and said, "That's the clincher for me. Jesus is who He said He is." Since I was past that point in my understanding of Him, I could only sit there in that terminal, be still, and know.
Posted by: &roo at July 26, 2005 01:13 PMHe has forgiven me much. I love Him. Will you join me on your knees in grateful prayer to Him?
YUP!
God bless you Doug