“Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, 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.”

There are many things we enjoy in life: a walk along the water on a warm summer day, neighborhood barbecues, a good book with a warm cup of coffee on a gray day, or a lazy Saturday after a long work week. It makes sense that we would enjoy these things, because they provide happiness, joy, and peace to our minds and souls. They are the opposite of the things we try and avoid in life: sorrow, pain, and stress. Yet God does not hide from pain, but instead redeems it to bring hope to all.

When talking about the “Suffering Servant,” the prophet Isaiah speaks of God the Father’s will to bring suffering to his son Jesus, knowing that through his death and resurrection, mankind would be redeemed.

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, 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. -Isaiah 53:10-11

On the surface, this prophecy appears harsh and unloving. Some translations even say that the Father was pleased to crush Jesus. How could that be possible? Does he enjoy pain and sorrow?

It would go against the very nature of God to find joy in pain. Instead, Isaiah is showing us God’s commitment to the greatest rescue plan of all time; The sending of His Son, the Suffering Servant, who would endure the Cross, overcome death, and bring salvation to all.

The happiness, joy, and peace so many of us experience is not known by many of the marginalized or the homeless youth of our communities. The suffering they experience is foreign to many, and yet Jesus knows the pain of their rejection because He was rejected by mankind. He knows the depth of their despair because he faced the depths of death. Because of God’s offering, he can relate, and he can restore.

The story of Jesus is one of pain, rejection, sorrow, and despair. It’s one that connects to the story of homeless teens, but Jesus’ story is also one of love, joy, hope and redemption. It’s a story of God’s great commitment to the hurting and celebration of the life he brings to the lifeless.  God has not given up on the hurting, and we must not either.

Lord, we thank you for your commitment to us. Thank you that you’ve never wavered from your plan to save the lost and hurting. Father, help us to show your love and hope to those around us; to know that we all carry some level of pain and suffering. As we approach Easter, remind us to slow down and reflect on who you are and what you’ve done for us. Help us to see the ways in which we can love and care for the marginalized; to know that we are all flesh and blood, in need of a Savior. In your name, Amen.

MEDITATION & PRAYER WRITTEN BY
Pastor Dustin Hirschy
Bayside Church