Isaiah 53:5

I was catching up on some reading this morning, which made reference to Isaiah 53:5 and then raised a question concerning me. I had to lay aside the article and think about this verse. God the Father loves us so much that he was willing to sacrifice his Son for us. Taking on a body of flesh, Jesus was then willing to suffer and die for us. Jesus was willing to allow his Father to break him for us and through that brokenness Jesus can understand our temptation and suffering. The question then concerning me is, "Am I willing to let God break me so that I can understand and meet the needs of others. Am I willing to see my suffering as preparation for helping someone or as just a trial to get through? As I think about this I realize how my past suffering has prepared me to be of value to others in their time of need. Think of the value Jesus provided us through his suffering. What value are you providing for others?

Prayer

Father, this concept of suffering to prepare us to provide value for someone is foreign to us. It sure is not a normal way of life, but is an extension of life in the spiritual realm from heaven. Father, there is so much we American Christians need to learn about the importance of suffering and its relationship to our understanding of what a Biblical Christian is really like. Here in America, we are predominately cultural Christians, influenced more by our culture than we are the Bible. Father, forgive us and help us get our priorities straight.