January 26

“I wanted God and Christ to be one and the same.  That’s why I finally became a Christian.  I wanted it to be true when Jesus said “I and the Father are one.”  Then how could God smite the Christ who had saved me?”  Eugenia Price, S.P.S., 1/26

This was Eugenia’s question upon reading Isaiah 53:4b:  “....yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”  Finally, I was about to have my longtime, forever-lingering question settled.  I had always wondered how I could trust God to show ME any favor (grace) when He did not even spare His own Son.  This was not something I could speak out loud amongst my Christian friends for fear of exposing what looked liked doubts.  And I certainly couldn’t pose this question to nonbelievers for fear they would never give God a second thought again!  So I suffered in silence, always pushing it aside when it threatened to cause me to lose what faith I did have in God’s goodness towards me. So as I prepared to read some profound yet unknown truth to me I was not prepared for the simplicity of her response--the obviousness of it--the slapping-of-my-forehead-upon-the-discovery type of revelation.  I will share her words:  “Rejoice and again I say rejoice,” because cleave this “pleasant clear stone” to its heart and you see as I have seen at last, that God actually smote Himself for our sin!.....He afflicted Himself, as the Lord God “laid on him (self) the iniquity of us all.”  NOW I understand.  Jesus, the man--all that was written about his life--is meant to show us that God was identifying with us.  Once He was nailed to that cross, it was God Himself who gave Himself for us--who suffered and bore our sin against Him.  God took responsibility for my sin and knowing the weakness of my flesh did not leave me on my own.  He came to me Himself.  He has exchanged my old life for His.  My flesh is merely the earth container until my soul is brought back home.  Jesus was also a container and meant to show me how it is possible to live a sanctified life here on earth.  When the container was no longer needed, God displayed it on a cross for all to see that it was no longer needed.  God Himself was now back on His throne.  The Power of Sin had been defeated.  Through our faith in the finished work of the Christ we share in this victory. 

“So we are always of good courage; we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.”  2 Corinthians 5:6,7