Pierced

Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. ~ Isaiah 53:1~5

He was pierced for me. Not a pretty, glamorous piercing either. It was an ugly, raw and horrid piercing. A piercing that pierces my heart to it's inner most being. It stings as I remember the scenes from a movie that so accurately put a picture to the words that I have been hearing about and reading since I was not even old enough to really understand the significance completely. The blood, the spit, the cries of both laughter and tears... The images will stay with me forever, and for that I am glad.

I understand what He did for me. I am overcome with emotion over what He did for me. Jesus Christ saved me... He wants to save ALL! He continues to carry the cross... In order to save.

There is such ugliness all around, isn't there? The spit, the blood, the cries of both laughter and tears. Jesus sees all of this still. He wants to turn this ugliness into beauty. He wants hearts. The love that He offers is so different from any other love. His love is so great... so sacrificial. What he did for me... for us... no other would even fathom, and yet, I know He would do it all again.

I am humbled again, Jesus. My eyes are wide open and my heart feels the sting of your piercing. I am joyful over the victory that you are alive still and that I will see you with my own eyes someday.