Marie’s daily verse: The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. HEBREWS 1:3.

DAILY DEVOTION, November 13, 2022

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was ^]bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes^[ we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, everyone, to his own way;  and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:5-6).

Isaiah wrote these words hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus. God revealed to Isaiah His plan to redeem sinners. Some have referred to Isaiah as the 5^th Gospel. It is hard to read these words and not see the hand of God. God revealed how He planned to save a lost world. Jesus came for us. We are the transgressors; We are the ones guilty of iniquity. Jesus took our punishment. He bore our judgment.

The healing referred to in the text is most certainly the healing of our sins. We have gone astray, and our iniquities were laid upon Him, upon Jesus. How amazing is the love of God that He would go to this extreme to redeem us? Why was Jesus born of a virgin in Bethlehem? Why did He suffer the injustice of the cross? “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities.”

I look at my life, and I see so much sin and failure. I look at the world, and I see wholesale rebellion against God. How can we ever find salvation? Thankfully, it doesn’t depend on us. God has acted to redeem us. Isaiah predicted the cross 600 years before the coming of Jesus. This fact assures me that the Bible is an inspired book. Who could have predicted such an event as the crucifixion of Jesus 600 years in advance? Only God.

Lord Jesus, only begotten Son of the Father, how can I ever thank you for what You have done for me? When I consider the suffering You endured, realizing that You were acting on my behalf, words fail me. It was my sins that nailed You to the cross, and You did it for me, and for the world. How great is Your love for us! I thank You, we thank You, for saving us. In Your name, we offer up our gratitude, Amen.