Devotion Day

Thinking on the Passover & the Feast of First Fruits fulfilled through the Death, Burial, & Resurrection of Jesus Christ:

This week started off with a fabulous Sunday School lesson of reading through the scriptures about the crucifixion of Christ. Just meditating on His humble path to the cross! And, why a cross you might ask? For you and for me. I love how Psalms 8:4 puts my thoughts (& probably yours to if you understand being freed from bondage!), "What is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him?"

Since the week started so focused, I wanted to try to keep stay focused this week. . .every day. I found that when I open my ears and tune myself to Him that He provides amazing worship! Thank you Jesus! You are ALIVE and well!

Because I am starting a study of Isaiah and I love that it is the Old Testament leading us to Christ, I wanted the devotion this morning to simply be an old testament prophesy about our Messiah! I hope that you know this Jesus. . .the power that He holds! May the reading of His word bless you today because it is a GOOD Friday!

Isa 53:3-11 (NASB)
"He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried;

Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities;

The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way;

But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth;

Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,

So He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away;

And as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?

His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death,

Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
But the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief;

If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.

As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied;

By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many,

As He will bear their iniquities."

I lift my hands to believe again, Lord! You are faithful God forever! Let faith arise! And, open my eyes! (Words adapted from Chris Tomlin's new song "I lift my hands")