FWD: Morning Manna (Dec. 7); BP: Is. 53; RBTTY: II Jn.; Dan. 5-7

 
Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net

 

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-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Thu, 6 Dec 2007 16:00:39 -0600
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Dec. 7); BP: Is. 53; RBTTY: II Jn.; Dan. 5-7
 
December 7                                                                             "Despised and Rejected"  
"He is despised and rejected by men—a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid as it were our faces from Him. He was despised and we esteemed Him not."
                                                                                                                                              Isaiah 53:3
      He was/is God’s Most Precious Treasure (II Cor. 4:7), but treated like throwaway trash by the world—both then and now.
      "Despised and rejected."
     What pictures come to your mind when you hear those words? A serial killer? Suicide bomber? A CEO who absconds with folks’ savings and never serves a day in jail? An abandoned child?
Regardless, the idea is still the same: Something/someone who’s unworthy of acceptance. When we realize what the words "despised" (Heb. "bazah"—"disdained, condemned, scorned, vile person, etc.") and "rejected" (Heb. "chadel"—"vacant, destitute, frail, having nothing to do with, etc.") mean, we begin to see just how contemptible Jesus seemed to those in His day.
 
     Now, some folks are so self-sufficient in psyche that they care little what others think or say about them; they simply shrug these off without a second thought. Others cope with others’ mistreatment by hardening their hearts, refusing to be hurt again by such unkind words and deeds, but becoming bitter in the process.
 
     But, the majority of us, most likely, are still stung by such unkind conduct—which, is good in a way—for it tells us we’re still alive, somewhat tenderhearted and still in need of the Savior’s help. The key is learning to respond like He did and allowing such "fiery darts" (Eph. 6:16) to drive us deeper in our walk with Him.
 
     How our Lord suffered during His sojourn here on earth! Here He was. . .the sinless Son of God  . . .Whose mission in life was to show the Father’s love. . .but still subjected to worse treatment than any of us will ever know. His suffering was further accentuated by His Godhead—for the only part of Him that was limited here on earth was His omnipresence. Thus, we can only imagine the intense anguish of mind and agony of soul He felt by knowing what others would do to Him BEFORE they did it.
 
     What kind of love is that?
     Again, "agape" love. God the Father’s type of love.
     No wonder He was called "a Man of sorrows, well-acquainted with grief." To Him was given the whole world’s sins and cup of sorrow. Willingly, He drank every drop of it. That’s why He cried from the Cross the words of David, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Mt. 27:46; Ps. 22:1).
 
     How we need to go to those around us who are also "despised and rejected"—the "throwaways" in this world, if you will—and tell them they’ve got a Friend in Jesus. Maybe, just maybe, they’ll discover the world’s "trash" is God’s Treasure and yield their lives to Him in love and absolute surrender.