IT'S WHAT GOD HAD IN MIND ALL ALONG

Isaiah 53   The Message (MSG)

53 Who believes what we’ve heard and seen?
Who would have thought God’s saving power would look like this?

^2-6 The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,
a scrubby plant in a parched field.

There was nothing attractive about him,
nothing to cause us to take a second look.

He was looked down on and passed over,
a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.
One look at him and people turned away.

We looked down on him, thought he was scum.

But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—
our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.

We thought he brought it on himself,
that God was punishing him for his own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him,
that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!

He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
Through his bruises we get healed.

We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost.
We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way.

And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong,
on him, on him.

^7-9 He was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn’t say a word.
Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheared,he took it all in silence.Justice miscarried, and he was led off—and did anyone really know what was happening?

He died without a thought for his own welfare,beaten bloody for the sins of my people. They buried him with the wicked,threw him in a grave with a rich man,even though he’d never hurt a soul
or said one word that wasn’t true.

¹⁰ Still, it’s what God had in mind all along, to crush him with pain. The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin so that he’d see life come from it—life, life, and more life. And God’s plan will deeply prosper through him.

^11-12 Out of that terrible travail of soul, he’ll see that it’s worth it and be glad he did it. Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant, will make many “righteous ones,”as he himself carries the burden of their sins.

Therefore I’ll reward him extravagantly—
the best of everything, the highest honors—
Because he looked death in the face and didn’t flinch,
because he embraced the company of the lowest.

He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many,
he took up the cause of all the black sheep.

God, in His love for us provided a wonderful plan.  I pray today that you will personally experience His love in a brand new way.

God bless you,

Karol

This SO encouraged me today.  You can read the chapter in it's entirety in your Bible.  I just pulled out the phrases that were personal to me.  I am so glad that God gets personal!!  After all if it's not personal, what is it??

Happy Easter one and all!

Isaiah 43

New King James Version (NKJV)

43 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you…
And He who formed you….

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.

² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

³ For I am the Lord your God,……your Savior;

⁴ Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have loved you;

⁵ Fear not, for I am with you;

I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”

That you may know and believe Me,
And understand that I am He.

Before Me there was no God formed,
Nor shall there be after Me.
¹¹ I, even I, am the Lord,

Says the Lord, “that I am God.
¹³ Indeed before the day was, I am He;

¹⁵ I am the Lord, your Holy One,
The Creator of Israel, your King.”

²⁵ “I, even I, am He who blots out your

transgressions for My own sake;