Isaiah 53:10-12

“Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain. When you make his life an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days; through him the will of the Lord shall prosper.” vs. 10

It was the conviction of the prophet that what had happened to the Servant (Israel) was a part of a larger plan. What the people suffered in Babylon was horrible, a crushing blow to their identity and their dreams. For another prophet of the exile, Ezekiel, with his image of the valley of dry bones, it was the death of Israel. But it wasn’t the end. In Isaiah’s words, the Servant’s life was an offering for sin, a sacrifice that would bring life and salvation. For early Christians these ancient words brought meaning to the tragic death of Jesus–it hadn’t been an accident or a mistake, but a part of a divine plan. Believers continue to use such insights to deal with the tragedies that bring such pain to their existence. When people suffer and experience crushing defeats, we often see them recover with amazing resilience when they see purpose in their suffering. The trajectory of lives can change in a heartbeat, and plans can be extinguished, yet somehow we find the will and the desire to persevere. And then, years down the road, we begin to see that all the ugliness was part of a greater plan. Not all folks come to that point, but many do, and for them it’s a blessing.

Thought for the Day: How has tragedy changed my life?