Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Isaiah. 53:1-3 (ESV)
Do you love me? John 21:16 (NIV)
Lord Jesus, Isaiah’s words break and stir my heart, this January Sunday morning. You who never sinned, became sin for us, that in you, we might become, the very righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). By your crushing, we are now cherished; by your exile on the cross, we have citizenship in God’s heart; by your consummate wounding, we are becoming completely healthy; by your cruel death, we live forevermore. Hallelujah!
It’s precisely because of your great love for us that I stand convicted this morning. It’s impossible to ignore Isaiah’s words, “and we esteemed him not”. The beauty of your grace moves me to grieve the ugly of my sin. Every time I sin, I esteem me and my wishes, more than you and your glory. Indeed, the greatest indictment against any of us is a lack of esteem for you, Jesus.
You created us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. You redeemed us for yourself, and you desire us as no one else ever could. Yet we still look over your shoulder for other loves and other lovers. You’re coming back for us, with the passion of a Bridegroom for his new Bride. Yet we still turn to broken cisterns, empty mirages, and people to give us what you alone can. Forgive us; free us.
By your grace, and the power of your resurrection, refresh, renew and intensify our love for you, Jesus. We want to esteem and love you above everything and everyone else. You will never love us more than you do today, but we want to love you much, much more. May it be, Lord, may it be so. So very Amen we pray, in your altogether loving and worthy name.
