Savior of the World, who would believe that Your Father would choose to save the world through a humble, suffering servant rather than a triumphant king? But He often works in ways that we do not expect. Your strength was not shown in might but through humility, suffering and obedience. There was nothing beautiful in Your appearance … because Your beauty was in Your heart. You were considered an ordinary man who was not the One who would bring salvation and healing to many. To my shame, You were a man of sorrows, despised and rejected. Even to this day, many hold You in contempt and disdain because they do not see their need for a Savior and forgiveness. Many people cannot conceive of a Savior dying for their sins and bearing the punishment that they deserved. It is one thing to sacrifice a lamb for sins but quite a different thing to think of God’s Chosen One being the Lamb.
It has been Your will to pull aside the curtain of time to allow me to see and understand my need for a personal Savior and the forgiveness of my sins. Like Your people, I too have been a wandering sheep in search of a Shepherd to lead me back into the fold. I have been given the gift of hindsight to see and know You as the One sent of God to redeem me from the punishment due on my offenses. Once animals served as the sacrifice for sin. Now You are the Lamb offered for the sins of all people throughout time. You suffered for my sake and bore my sins to make me acceptable to Your Father. What can I say about such a love … nothing, just respond to it. You have made a way for me to become righteous … not by my own works, but by Yours on Calvary. I have been justified because I have claimed You as My King and Redeemer.
Through Your awesome work, sin has been stripped away and I have been clothed in Your goodness. In return for what You have done for me, I must become a willing servant and do whatever I am asked. In the process of my rebirth, I must put my will in subjection to Yours and become obedient even when I do not understand “why”. It is Your blood that has washed me clean and I should do everything in my power to reject becoming soiled again through negligence or disobedience. I am thankful for my place in Heaven with You, but my place at the table will be decided by what I do with the new life You have given to me. You have not promised that my life will be free of trials and tribulations … I need only look at Yours to know mine will not be either. I know I will face my share of struggles, but my outlook is so much more hopeful with You as my Savior. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Isaiah 53:12 For He bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors