Ultimate

I was reading my Bible this morning and I came across this passage in Isaiah. Most of you probably know it, even by heart, and so do I, but this morning it caused a deep thankfulness and humility to rise up in my heart.

This is the Ultimate Sacrifice.

And ultimately, this is the reason I'm here.

He has no form or comeliness

and when we see Him,

there is no beauty that we

should desire Him.

He is despised and rejected

by men, 

a Man of sorrows and

acquainted with grief.

And we hid, as it were,

our faces from Him.

He was despised

and we did not esteem Him.

Surely He has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows,

yet we esteemed Him

stricken, 

smitten by God

and afflicted.

But He was wounded

for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities.

The chastisement for our peace

was upon Him,

and by His stripes

we are healed.

All we like sheep

have gone astray.

We have turned, every one,

to his own way,

and the Lord has laid on Him

the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed

and He was afflicted,

yet He opened not His mouth.

He was led as a lamb

to the slaughter,

and as a sheep before its shearers

is silent,

so He opened not His mouth.

He was taken from prison

and from judgement

and who will declare His generation?

For He was cut off from

the land of the living.

For the transgressions 

of My people 

He was stricken.

And they made His grave

with the wicked~

But with the rich at His death

because He had done no violence

nor was any deceit

in His mouth.

Isaiah 53:2-9

On this Sunday in November, the month of Thanksgiving, as I think about how everyone makes Halloween almost a national holiday, how Halloween has become a bigger holiday than Thanksgiving, I'm so glad for this remembrance. I'm so thankful! Really, I am.  Thanksgiving seems so commonplace, so banal.  Thanksgiving Day in our nation is now nothing more than a day to watch endless football, while Halloween, Dias de la Muerta, the Day of the Dead, becomes a national phenomenon!

Forgive me for injecting that tiny off-thought, but really, it isn't so out of context, because I'm so grateful that Jesus Christ allowed Himself to be led to the cross.  I have a new appreciation for that this year.  That is the reason my family celebrates Thanksgiving this year, and why I have a tongue to proclaim thanks! Oh, we're thankful for the Pilgrims and their brave journey here, but.....

Jesus Christ died on the cross.

His blood is the redemption of mankind.  Still.

His hanging on that cross is the reason I have a place in Glory beside Him.

That's what my family is going to be celebrating this Thanksgiving, and on this 11th day of November, that's the next thing on my Thankful List!