DAILY DEVOTION, Nov. 20, 2021

All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6).

More than any other prophet, Isaiah gives us a clear picture of the coming Messiah. In today’s verse, we learn something about ourselves and something about the Messiah. Unfortunately, what we learn about ourselves is not very flattering. We are like sheep who have lost our way. We prefer our way to God’s way. We have wandered away from our Creator, the God who loves us and wants nothing more than to bless us. We think we can find happiness and meaning in life by following our own rules. We don’t even realize that we have gone astray.

Then we hear the story of Jesus. We learn that He is the Son of God sent to redeem us. In our text, we learn that God has laid upon His Son our iniquities. Why did He do that? Why not just let us follow our own path and end up in hell, forever separated from God? Why did God lay my sins on the back of Jesus? The answer is found in the familiar words of John 3:16. God loves us despite our sins. He wants to forgive us and fit us for heaven. When Jesus went to the cross, He was taking upon Himself the judgment that I (we) deserve. It was an act of love.

Now we have the opportunity to repent of our sins and place our trust in Jesus. All who take this simple step are the recipients of glorious promises. Please examine the four Gospels carefully and then decide whether or not Jesus is worthy of your trust.

Father, I am so grateful that You reached out to me with the gift of salvation when I had wandered far from Your Kingdom. I was like a lost sheep. Thank You, Jesus, for taking my judgment. I will praise Your name forever, Amen.