Wounded For Our Transgressions

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 

                                                                                      (Isa 53:3-6 KJV)

Wounded for our transgressions! He was bruised for everyone of our iniquities! I can't even begin to fathom how many sins he died for. Yet, we continue to sin. Many don't even attempt to refrain from sinning against God and doing harm to others in words or deeds. 

Like sheep we have a tendency to want to do things our own way and do what makes us happy not necessarily what is good and right. Like sheep that have gone astray we end up in thorny bushes or going over the edge into deep ravines that we cannot climb out of without help. 

Who will have the wisdom to turn to the one who died for them; the one who died so that whoever believes in him will receive forgiveness, when they find themselves overwhelmed by the consequences of the wrong that they have done?

Lent and particularly Holy Week is a reminder to us that we are all sinners and without the love of God through Christ Jesus none of us are saved. 

God grant that ears, eyes, and hearts be opened to know and appreciate what God has done for us as he reconciled us to Himself and to one another through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Our Own Way

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isa 53:5-6 KJV)

Yup! That's what we like. We prefer to do things our own way. For some reason we have tendency to think our way is better than God's way. It is not. According to the Gospel of St. John: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

When we follow in our own ways, we often end up in a heap of trouble. We end up on some really dangerous paths. But, when we follow in the way that Jesus has set before us the path leads to reconciliation and peace with our Father in heaven.

Jesus was sent to us so that we who had turned our backs on our Father could be reconciled to him and live in his eternal presence. It was not a mission that any of us could complete. This innocent man was punished for our sins. He was tortured and executed for the sins that we commit. Simply put: he died that we might live.

Let us live life in thanksgiving for all that he has done and continues to do for us. Let us be wise enough to follow in the way that he would have us go.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

My Foot Slips

When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. 

                                                (Psalm 94:18 KJV)

My foot slipped and I fell off of a ladder a couple of weeks ago. An absolute miracle happened. I landed feet first and then on my knees. I did not get hurt. I did not even end up a little bit bruised. I was most fortunate! I was very surprised.

My feet slip often. But, more often than not my falls are not physical falls. I seem to be a whole lot more unsteady on my feet as each year passes. I am a whole lot more aware of the possibility of falling and at least attempt to be more careful. 

As each year passes it seems that I am also more aware of when I slip and fall spiritually. I am aware of sins that I would not have even realized were sins a decade ago. I try to prevent these falls when I realize they are about to or are happening. But, my efforts are not always successful. 

I know that we all fall. We are sinful human beings. I do not appreciate my own falls. I am quite taken aback that I could possibly foolish enough to fall again. But, I am assured by the Word that the Lord in His mercy will pick me up again and again. This knowledge that He will continue to pick us up is a most humbling experience for even when we are lost, He will pick us up and show us the way to go. 

I thank God for when I do fall, He is there to lift me back up. It is by His grace and mercy that we are saved from falls. We cannot save ourselves. Trust in the Lord for His mercy endures forever. 

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (James 4:10)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Reconciled By His Suffering

 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:5-6 KJV)

We are sinners, that is true. We do not deserve God's grace. But, He loves us so much that He was willing to give His only begotten Son to be wounded and killed as a sacrifice for our sins.

We are sinners. We have all gone astray. We think that we are following Jesus and there we go following in our own way. But, thanks be to God that His Son, bore the penalty for our sins. By the blood of Christ we have been healed; we have been made whole. We have been reconciled to God our Father; by the suffering and death of His Son, Jesus; and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God's Peace - Pr. J