Keep me in perfect peace

Keep me in Perfect Peace

“I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard.” (Isaiah 50:6)

Amazing, isn’t it?   This one single verse sounds so much like Jesus’ passion—and not just the event of his scourging at the pillar.   The humility and generosity of the servant in this verse beautifully captures Jesus’ heart as he endured his entire arrest, trial, and crucifixion.

Imagine what Jesus must have felt when he heard these words proclaimed in the synagogue.   He must have realized at some point that they referred not only to the ancient prophet but to himself.   Maybe it struck him with terror.   Or perhaps, because he was the Son of God, it didn’t bother him at all.

The truth probably lies somewhere between these two extremes.   Being human, Jesus naturally experienced great distress about what was awaiting him.   But then in his divinity, he could pray with complete confidence:   “The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced” (Isaiah 50:7).   So while he certainly felt great apprehension over what lay ahead of him, he also found strength knowing that his Father would never abandon him.

There’s a parallel here to our lives.   We can’t see into the future, but we do know that we all have our own share of hardships to deal with.   It could be major, like the death of a loved one, or minor, like being stuck in a traffic jam for three hours.   The magnitude of the challenge is not as important as how we deal with it.   We can either fret about it or try our best to place it in the Father’s hands as Jesus did.

Know that in surrendering your hardships to God, you can expect to do more than just endure them.   You will find new confidence knowing that Easter Sunday will come for you just as it did for Jesus.   You will find strength in the knowledge that “all things work for good for those who love God” (Romans 8:28).   Jesus didn’t come to add to your burdens.   He came to carry them with you.   Remember:  he walked the road to Calvary precisely so that he could walk with you today!

Word Among Us