Isaiah 53:7

When someone is wronged in our world today, the natural reaction is to speak up for yourself! Or when you see someone else being mistreated, the noble thing to do is to speak up for them. That is a good and true principle, and at first glance, it may even look like it contradicts Christ's example. Because it's especially difficult to look at what Jesus went through and ask, why did he not speak up for Himself? Instead, He chose to walk through this situation being mistreated and humiliated. How is that fair? The answer is, it's not fair. Christ loves us so much that He took our sins upon Himself in order to pay our penalty for sin. He took the punishment that we deserved, and that's not fair. In order to fulfill that plan, it required Him to walk through this affliction without speaking a word to stop it. What a beautiful gift He has given us--one we could never repay Him for. My prayer for all of us is that we sing our praises to Him who was silent on our behalf.

PASSAGE: Isaiah 53:7 -

"He was oppressed and afflicted,

    yet he did not open his mouth;

he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,

    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,

    so he did not open his mouth."

PAUSE: Isaiah predicted that the Lord would be silent. In His silence, Jesus entrusted Himself to His Heavenly Father. Perhaps the Lord is asking us to stop talking and to start trusting Him. The code of silence is the example Christ left us as a gift! It is a gift to entrust ourselves to the Shepherd of our souls.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help me take Isaiah 53 at his word. Help me reflect on how to suffer well and show gratitude for my Savior.