Before and After

 

 

My early morning was spent in Isaiah 53, reflecting on the Messiah’s sacrifice for me. A shower of emotions swirled around my spirit, drenching me in their meaning. These were hard words.

Crushed, wounded, pierced, despised, chastisement, oppressed, afflicted, sorrow, grief, cut off, judgment… slaughter.

These are also precious words… these are the words of redemption.

“…because he poured out his soul to death…”

Before Christ my heart was under judgment and faced a death sentence. I was condemned and my soul despised by an enemy opposed to my salvation. My life bore the oppression of chastisement and judgment. My sorrow, my grief, cut me off from hope. I was continually pierced by the reminders of my failures and my sin. Everything in me was slaughtered by it.

“…and was numbered with t he transgressors; yet he bore
the sins of many…”

After Christ, those words change. Condemnation has no hold on me and judgment fails in its attempt to convict. Hope has been handed back to me as a precious balm to heal the wounds of regret. The killing fields of sin have been plowed under by the redemptive force of love. Everything Jesus carried on that day of sorrow, he carried not only for me, but also away from me.

And He did the same for you…

Blessings, Jay