F O O T H O L D
READING
45 TRIUMPH THROUGH SUFFERING
PRAY Prepare my heart and
mind to worship you, Lord God.
READ Isaiah 52:1353:12.
THINK List the sentences in
this passage which most remind you of Jesus.
FOCUS We are on holy ground
as we read another of the servant songs.
Isaiah was inspired to write
these words 700 years before Christ's
birth, but the New Testament
makes it clear that they are about
the Lord Jesus (Matthew 8:17;
Acts 8;3235).
'MY SERVANT WILL SUCCEED' (1315).
There will be suffering (14),
but in the end there will be
victory (15). God never fails in his
ultimate purpose for the
world. We may frustrate him by our
disobedience and disbelief
but remember, the Bible which starts
with the Book of Genesis
ends with the Book of Revelation. A
lovely world spoilt by
people (Genesis 3), but in the end a new
world made by God (Revelation
21).
'WHO WOULD HAVE BELIEVED?' (13).
think of how God came to the
earth in the person of
Jesus, lived an obscure life for thirty
years, had a short ministry
of three years and endured tremendous
suffering at the hands of
evil people. Is this the way we would
have accomplished salvation
for everyone, if we had been in charge
of the universe?
'BECAUSE OF OUR SINS' (46).
How personal these three verses are.
What happened when Christ
died and how should this affect our
lives in the future (see 1
Peter 2:24)?
'HE NEVER SAID A WORD' (79).
Look at the trial of Jesus (Mark
15:5; Luke 23:9). Jesus had
such a relationship with his heavenly
Father that he knew when to
speak and when to be silent (see 1
Peter 2:23). May we be so
aware of God's guidance that we too may
know when and when not to
speak.
PRAY Take time to allow the
phrases in this chapter to sink into your
mind. Let them lead you in
worship.
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