We all love it when nice things are said about us. I’m no exception. That’s why I’ve got to admit that of all of the Scriptures in the Bible, Isaiah 53:5 is one of my favorites:
“But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds.”
There are so many reasons I love this passage. Obviously it’s a powerful, dramatic, and reflective verse dealing with the crucifixion of Christ. But what I love most is that it involves me.
When I study stories in the Bible - say, David and Goliath - sure, it relates to my life, but it doesn’t address me directly. That’s the beauty of this passage - it’s so blatantly about me. It’s about my sins. I deserve the wounds, the whip, the wrath. But somehow, by his wounds, I get my healing.
I love that. It brings the entirety of Christ’s sacrifice into clear focus for me. It makes my salvation real. I deserve death, but somehow God saw fit to substitute his Son, living as real flesh and blood, to pay the price for me.
The reality of Jesus’s crucifixion isn’t something we should pull out of the closet once a year, dusting off for Easter ceremonies. It’s much more personal than that. It’s a truth we should live with daily - remembering Christ’s sacrifice so that we take full advantage of our status as the redeemed.
- David Nassar
