Isaiah 53//thoughts on Christmas

Have you ever really truly paused to think of what Christmas is about?

Most of us would respond automatically. Yes. And we would even have the right answer. Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Maybe we’ve thought about it, but have we pondered it?

Do we really take to heart what Christmas is really all about?

We run around like chickens with their heads chopped off trying to find the perfect gift for each family member and friend. Then we take a look at our bank accounts and spazz out because Christmas costs a ton. Or we scramble to try to make a meaningful homemade gift for each one.

All the while we are focused on other stuff. Yes- giving gifts is a good thing. Yes, spending time with family and friends is a good thing. But that’s still not what Christmas is about!

Christmas is about Christ. Christmas is the celebration of JESUS’ birth.

Jesus came to earth so that he could die on the cross and give us the gift of eternal life. That’s a big thought.

He didn’t have to. He didn’t have to save us. He didn’t have to DIE for us.

But he did. He died for us. for you. for me. sinners. sinners who deserve nothing less than going to hell. 

But he died anyway.

He came to earth because he loved us.

//years ago my dad had to memorize Isaiah 53 for a Bible class he was taking. Being very much Daddy’s girl, I was the one who got to coach him. I heard him recite this passage so many times that I almost had it all memorized when I had to do it in high school.

Its an amazing passage. and its beautiful! <3 Its talking about Jesus. Its talking about why Jesus came to earth. Its talking about why Jesus was born. This passage brings new meaning to one of my favorite phrases,

beauty from brokenness.

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

 Isaiah 53:1-9