Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:4-6
—
God doesn’t just love us. God suffered so that He could be with us.
These are different things.
Consider the weight of the truth for just a moment that God, the Creator of the Universe, would choose to suffer for you.
It is one thing to say you love somebody.
“God loves you,” is as common a spiritual refrain as we hear in the world today. We make bumper stickers and squeeze balls and coffee mugs with the phrasing.
And it is, of course, entirely true.
But God’s love for us goes beyond mere words and smiley faces on stickers.
He didn’t just say it. He doesn’t just “love” as we routinely throw around the word.
God took an even greater step.
He suffered so that He could be with us!
This is how great and passionate His love is for each of us.
He physically suffered—even to the point of physical disfigurement. “Marred beyond human likeness” is the description of the physical torture He endured. He suffered emotionally as his friends turned from Him in his greatest moment of despair. And He took upon himself the sins of the world—so much that even His Father in heaven deserted him.
This is how great the love of God is for each of us.
He suffered—for you and for me.
His desire to be with us was so great, He willingly placed Himself in the path of pain.
—
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for your sacrifice. Help me to understand the magnitude of your love and what you’ve done to save me. May I never take for granted what your love really means and the punishment you bore on my behalf. Amen.