[Faith-talk] Thoughts/God's amazing grace and love! :)

[Amy Ragain]

> Isaiah 53:1-12 (NASB)
> The Suffering Servant
> [53:1] Who has believed our message?
> And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
> [2] For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot,
> And like a root out of parched ground;
> He has no stately form or majesty
> That we should look upon Him,
> Nor appearance that we should *be attracted to Him.
> [3] He was despised and forsaken of men,
> A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
> And like one from whom men hide their face
> He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
> [4] Surely our *griefs He Himself bore,
> And our sorrows He carried;
> Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
> Smitten of God, and afflicted.
> [5] But He was *pierced through for our transgressions,
> He was crushed for our iniquities;
> The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
> And by His scourging we are healed.
> [6] All of us like sheep have gone astray,
> Each of us has turned to his own way;
> But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all
> To fall on Him.
> [7] He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
> Yet He did not open His mouth;
> Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
> And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
> So He did not open His mouth.
> [8] By oppression and judgment He was taken away;
> And as for His generation, who considered
> That He was cut off out of the land of the living
> For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?
> [9] His grave was assigned with wicked men,
> Yet He was with a rich man in His death,
> Because He had done no violence,
> Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
> [10] But the LORD was pleased
> To crush Him, putting Him to grief;
> If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,
> He will see His offspring,
> He will prolong His days,
> And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
> [11] As a result of the anguish of His soul,
> He will see it and be satisfied;
> By His knowledge the Righteous One,
> My Servant, will justify the many,
> As He will bear their iniquities.
> [12] Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great,
> And He will divide the booty with the strong;
> Because He poured out Himself to death,
> And was numbered with the transgressors;
> Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,
> And interceded for the transgressors.
> 
> Good morning you beautiful people!!  Lots going on in this world today - even more in heaven.  I am a forgetful sinner, saved by the Grace of Jesus Christ, redeemed by His blood, and continually growing as I submit to His authority, His Word, His Holy Spirit.  I was reminded this morning for Jesus' love for us all by the passage above.  
> 
> As I spent time reading the verses, the Love of Jesus gripped my attention and as it did, the fears, anxieties, insecurities faded, like a vapor.  It is so true that when we focus on God's Word, the circumstances of our day shrink to nothingness.  It may be for an instant, or a moment, an hour, or even a day that we are carried from this daily grind into the very presence of God.  Capture the scene in your imagination, and just dwell for a minute.  There is such peace, harmony, love, security!!
> 
> This is my prayer for you today - rest in the Love of Christ!!
> 
> With great love, hope and faith in Jesus Christ,
> 
> <3Steve:-))