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.... The plan was that He give Himself as an offering for sin....

Isaiah 53:1-6

Questions for Reflection:

Consider the way Jesus was born - a nobody - He did not arrive, or look, or act the way we may have expected. Ponder how brilliant this "insignificant" arrival was all part of God's plan. Knowing this "way" God works - not at all like the world would expect - does it help bring peace and security to areas of your life that are not turning out the way you expect?

I am sad for those who lived when Jesus lived and did not recognize Him for Who He really was. I am also sad for all of the ways I have not recognized Him in my life, too. And, my heart breaks for people I love who don't "see" Jesus. Maybe they are disappointed that He doesn't look or act in the ways they expect. How about you? Perhaps spend some time talking with Jesus about your own life and expectations, and those who YOU love who are maybe not recognizing Jesus. Spend some time praying for them, and for yourself, that they and you will "see" Jesus for Who He really is!

Prayer of the Week:

Lord Jesus, I come to You now to be restored in You, to be renewed in You and to receive all the grace and mercy I so desperately need this day. I honor You as my Lord and God and surrender every aspect of my life totally and completely to You. Thank You for loving me so very much and I now intentionally enter that love relationship with You as I pray.

Jesus, I admit that there are times I don’t “get” You. I don’t understand how You and the Father and the Spirit are working at this moment in my life and in my world. (Take a couple of moments and candidly admit frustrations with Jesus and situations where you find it difficult and frustrating to trust and obey Him.)

Even as I admit these frustrations I am, in some way, surrendering them to You. You are God and I am not. You see a much bigger picture than I do. I surrender to You – not in a sense cynical defeat but in life giving faith. Jesus, I believe in You. Help my unbelief.

Holy Spirt, I need Your counsel, comfort, strength and guidance. I ask You to fill me afresh with Your presence and life so that I might see the many little ways Your kingdom is breaking in to this broken world. I want to see and seize the opportunities You are giving me to share love and forgiveness, grace and kindness, truth and justice, sacrifice and service, joy and compassion, words and actions all done in Your name as small but vital parts of Your kingdom breaking into our broken world.

I thank You so much for calling me to be Your child, to be Your witness in this world and contend for Your kingdom even in small and seemingly insignificant ways. It is refreshing to know that little things done in Your name do matter and matter greatly. Thank You for being the kind of God where someone as insignificant as me can matter so very much to You. I love You,

Amen