Take it for the Team

Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah 53:10-12

sometime during this Easter weekend i was reading from the prophet, Isaiah. again i was amazed at how God spoke so truthfully thru a man who lived 800 (or more) years before Jesus. the gift of prophecy has always facinated me, but this passage is a bit much for me.

how can it have been God's will for His own Son to be made a guilt offering? that question is at the root of my amazement. our Father's blameless Son became our sin, our guilt, our shame, our anxiety, our fear, our humiliation, so that we could rejoice in the Truth, so that our clothing of shame could be destroyed forever. by His wounds we have been healed. (is. 53:5)

then the passage goes on to say that 'after the suffering of His soul'. praying for a change in Your future because You know it only leads to death and suffering. He sweat blood He was praying so diligently for His cup to be passed from Him, and yet He surrender Himself completely to the Father's will. i, too, am called to surrender myself completely to the Father's will. sweat or not sweat, my will should align itself to the Father's and Son's will. that is the work of the Holy Spirit, to align my will to the Father's will. and i rejoice that i don't have to do it alone. i don't have to make the changes, but i still need to surrender my will to Him. i still need to continue to pursue peace. just as Jesus gave His life for us, so i should willingly surrender my will to Him who gave me this life.

Jesus,
i rejoice in You. i bow before You with adoration and praise. Your passion for us to live with You exceeded Your personal perference. You chose to give Your life so that i may dine with You in paradise. that is my heart's praise and victory song. i love You because You first loved me. i surrender my will to Yours. i surrender all my heartaches, my anxiety, my shame, my questions. i want to be satisfied in You. i want to know You more.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen

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*Zach *John *Andy