We Need Him 2

Isaiah 53:5

As the summer nears we are planning our vacation. But I can’t simply walk away from my responsibilities in the churches. Whenever I am going to be out of town for any reason I must arrange to have someone take my place in the pulpit. Someone has to do the work for me while I am away, but it will only be for a week.

This is nothing new to most people. Whenever we deal with a replacement for ourselves – someone to cover our job, someone to hold our place in line – it is usually a temporary situation.

But we can see in Isaiah that Jesus has been a replacement for us for a much more important reason and for a much longer time. What has Jesus suffered? Why did he do this? How do we benefit?

We know we need Jesus to give us comfort and healing. We know that we need the presence of Christ to help guide us, to show us how to live a better life. It is simple to turn to Jesus in times of stress and fear. It is simple to turn to Jesus when we are sick.

What we too often overlook is how much we need Jesus for our salvation. Because we are human – mortal – we are easily tempted into the earthly way of thinking and acting. We sin. We commit selfish acts. We do the wrong things.

Because of this we deserve punishment. We deserve to suffer. But God loves us so much that he sent Jesus to be our replacement in the punishment. Instead of suffering for our own wrongs, Jesus has stepped in and suffers in our place.

So, we need him. We need Jesus because he is the one who was able to be pierced and crushed for the wrongs we have committed. He is the one who is able to endure the punishment we have earned. We need Jesus to be spared what we deserve.

And through Jesus we are brought into that place of total healing, of complete grace and love – of forgiveness – with God. We need Jesus for our soul-healing.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What can remind you of the soul-healing Jesus offers?