Isaiah 53:10-12 (NRSV)
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain. When you make his life an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days; through him the will of the Lord shall prosper. Out of his anguish he shall see light; he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge. The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
THOUGHTS:
We've all heard the phrase "no pain, no gain". The image that comes to my mind most readily when I hear it is of some beefy exercise guru like Billy Blanks or Gilad encouraging faltering exercisers to keep going, conveying the idea that their suffering will pay off in improving and strengthening their bodies. It may hurt now, but you'll reap the benefits later. These verses also talk about how suffering can "payoff" later, but in a much different way. Isaiah's prophetic illustration of the "suffering servant" describes a kind of pain that typically runs counter to human understanding of the world. The servant is "crushed with pain", but to provide benefit to many others, not himself. This self-sacrificing attitude is the kind I imagine parents feel about their children, but it is in opposition to the basic nature of survival.
Counter-intuitive or not, this is the life and the example Christ set for who follow him, promising that by losing our life we will gain it but if we seek to save our own life we will lose it (Luke 17:33). The life that Christ is speaking of is much more than a heart beat and brain waves. It's a depth and fullness of life that connects us intimately with God and with all of those around us. It builds community, protects those in need, and comforts the sick. It is a life that connects the most vulnerable to God's grace, through the "hands and feet" of those that follow Jesus' example.
As we draw closer to the end of the Lenten season we find ourselves drawing closer to the suffering and sorrow of Jesus' sacrifice. We are reminded our how much Jesus' gave out of his love for us. And we are challenged to give of ourselves towards the needs of others.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, we cannot begin to thank you for the gifts of salvation and grace. We pray for the guidance and strength to support the needs of others and to connect with the deeper, fuller life you promised. Amen.
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Thoughts by Kriss Buss, Young adult member of King of Kings Lutheran Church (Fairfax, VA)
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