Wednesday 9 Aug 2017

August 9: Isaiah 53:4-9

Key Verse: Isaiah 53:6
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Devotion:
One of the most amazing things which has been prophesied and proven is the one thing people don't want to believe – that Christ did actually die for our sins! Because as soon as we do admit He did die for our sins, we have to admit that we do actually believe He is God and that the bible is true. If we do this then we also have to believe all of the stuff we have done in the past has been a contributing factor to His death on the cross! It is little wonder then people will come up with all sorts of excuses about why it did not happen the way that it did or that it did not happen at all!

Well, we cannot deny that Jesus did not live – it is in historical records. We cannot deny He did not die – that too is in historical records. And yet we would try to bend the truth of how He died just so we can live our lives the way we want to and not have to think about someone else. We like to think we do think of others, because we do buy each other gifts and share things with each other... but we are very selective in just whom we do mix with.

Jesus, on the other hand, was not selective about just whose sins He paid for. He went to the cross to die for all of our sins – for everyone's sins – yes, mine as well. He did this because He truly loves us all. His act was totally unselfish. He opened His heart to everyone. Yet so many reject His open offer in fear they will somehow be trapped into doing something they don't want to or that they will have to give up 'the good life'. The truth is, we fear admitting the truth and would rather like to think we are stronger than we actually are. We would have to admit God is actually in control and not us. We would have to admit we do need to bow down before His ultimate authority. All of our lives we strive to be at the top. We aspire to be kings and queens. In reality all we have to do is admit that we are His children ... and act like it...

Points to Ponder:
When you were small, how well did you listen to your parents?

Do you listen to God as a child?