we have gone astray

What would I have done? If I had been alive then? Would I have recognized Your face? Would I have seen You for who you truly are--the Savior of the world?

 

Who is this man--from Nazareth? Nothing good comes from that slum, that cesspit! We look to the illustrious throne. We await your coming there! You were to be a king--to bring us peace and salvation from our captors! First the Babylonians, and now the Romans. We have been oppressed, waiting patiently beneath our bonds, groaning for your coming. This man cannot be the Messiah, he cannot be You. He communes with the homeless and the outcast of society. He puts the Sadducees and the Pharisees to shame. His teachings--those heretical things he says--they cannot be of Yahweh! He is waiting to send us our Savior. I will wait.

Who is this man--from Nazareth? He is not what we expected, but when have we ever known the mind and purpose of Yahweh? This man is like us. He knows hunger and thirst. He grows weary after a long day of walking though the rocky terrain of Judea. And yet, He is not as we are. He sees into the hearts of men. He is not so concerned with the way things look on the outside--after all, He associates with us--but rather He sees our motivations and secret sins. And He forgives. He says we must only drink the living water! That we may never thirst again! He puts the Sadducees and the Pharisees to shame. Too long we have groaned under their legalistic bonds! He has come to set us free from sin, He has come to be our Savior. No longer must we wait!

What would I have done? I have no answer to that question. Thankfully, I was born nearly 2,000 after the most important event in history. Time has passed, and our faith has grown. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that truly, Jesus of Nazareth was the son of God, the Messiah, the Savior of the world and the Redeemer of our sins. Though He did not bring peace to Israel--that was not His purpose!--He brought peace to our hearts.

Surely he has borne our griefs
    and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
     smitten by God, and afflicted.  

But he was pierced for our transgressions;
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
     and with his wounds we are healed.  

All we like sheep have gone astray;
    we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

So what can I say? What can I do, but offer this heart, O God, completely to You?

xo,
Katy