God shows up, but not as a warrior
I may have considered this thought before, but the study I'm reading has brought it to my frontal lobe in a way that I can't remember considering before. This isn't a post with a nice, clean answer. In fact, it's kind of muddy, and sounds like I don't know what I'm trying to say. Mainly that's because I don't. However, my reading in Isaiah today has caused me to think, so I'm passing on my thoughts as I've had them, and the reader can take where he/she would like.
Read Isaiah 52:13-53:12. This section is generally seen as prophetic of Christ, which is accurate. However, now think about the context of when it was written, and to whom. The people hearing this wouldn't have had any context for what Jesus has now done. All they knew was that they needed to be rescued from captivity in Babylon, and Isaiah was talking about how God's Servant was going to show up to rescue them as: ugly beyond mention (vss. 14 & 2), despised by everybody (vs. 3), wounded and crushed in our place (vs. 5) (okay, maybe I could see a rescuer in that vein... maybe), taken away and killed by wicked men (vss. 7-8)... get the picture? Not your typical super hero, or even MacGuyver-type. Yet Isaiah was saying that this Servant of God would rescue the Israelites from captivity, or so it seemed. And what in the world did it mean to them that he would die in their place?
So, considering how this may have come across to the Israelites in their context, Pastor Wiersbe asks this question:
I've been thinking about it, and I can't think of a time God's appeared to me like that. That doesn't mean he hasn't. I just can't think of a time. But it makes me wonder if he has, and I simply haven't realized it, maybe even thinking he hasn't showed up when he has, and denying his presence and his power when he's really working a miracle on my behalf... just in a way I don't get, or maybe don't even want. Of course, I know he's shown up strong when I've been weak. Is it possible he's also shown up in a way I've perceived as weak, but has actually been for my best?
I don't have any answers or lessons here, other than I'm going to continue to ponder this idea, and look for Jesus to not only show up in strength and power, but also in humility, maybe trying to teach me to let things go so He can do an even greater work down the road. I have no idea what that might look like, but I'm thinking Christ's crucifixion is a great example to start with.
Hmmm...
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Read Isaiah 52:13-53:12. This section is generally seen as prophetic of Christ, which is accurate. However, now think about the context of when it was written, and to whom. The people hearing this wouldn't have had any context for what Jesus has now done. All they knew was that they needed to be rescued from captivity in Babylon, and Isaiah was talking about how God's Servant was going to show up to rescue them as: ugly beyond mention (vss. 14 & 2), despised by everybody (vs. 3), wounded and crushed in our place (vs. 5) (okay, maybe I could see a rescuer in that vein... maybe), taken away and killed by wicked men (vss. 7-8)... get the picture? Not your typical super hero, or even MacGuyver-type. Yet Isaiah was saying that this Servant of God would rescue the Israelites from captivity, or so it seemed. And what in the world did it mean to them that he would die in their place?
So, considering how this may have come across to the Israelites in their context, Pastor Wiersbe asks this question:
"Think of a time when God appeared to you as a suffering servant when you were hoping for the strong arm of God. Why might God have chosen to speak to you in humility rather than through his power? What does this tell you about how God saw your need in that moment?"
I've been thinking about it, and I can't think of a time God's appeared to me like that. That doesn't mean he hasn't. I just can't think of a time. But it makes me wonder if he has, and I simply haven't realized it, maybe even thinking he hasn't showed up when he has, and denying his presence and his power when he's really working a miracle on my behalf... just in a way I don't get, or maybe don't even want. Of course, I know he's shown up strong when I've been weak. Is it possible he's also shown up in a way I've perceived as weak, but has actually been for my best?
I don't have any answers or lessons here, other than I'm going to continue to ponder this idea, and look for Jesus to not only show up in strength and power, but also in humility, maybe trying to teach me to let things go so He can do an even greater work down the road. I have no idea what that might look like, but I'm thinking Christ's crucifixion is a great example to start with.
Hmmm...
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
posted by Pastor Paul at
7:35 AM
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