No Shame

This scripture passage is a fight song! It is encouraging to me as it is late in the season of Lent and the disciplines I chose to attend to, are burdensome. I’ve grown weary. My muscles are sore and my soul feels empty at times because I have run at a pace I am not used to for nearly six weeks; pushing.

I am encouraged by Isaiah’s words because I’m reminded of the road Jesus traveled. Palm Sunday begins the climatic rise of Jesus’ road to Calgary. I have strength because Jesus showed me by example how to have strength. He held his tongue and didn’t lash back insults or accusations. He doesn’t fight back in anger and though he is beaten nearly to death, he is never the victim…always the victor!

It is like all of the Rocky movies, where he gets beaten down and it seems all hope is lost; this time he is finally going down for the count. Yet, somehow, someway, the opposite happens. He digs down deep to find the strength he needs to give that final knock out punch. Jesus did it first!!!

Listen to the scripture, read it out loud and allow yourself to be put into the story. You are there already in spirit, you need to allow yourself to be in your conscious. When you do this, it’s hard to ignore the strength Jesus needed to have in order to stand, with his head held high, without shame. Jesus, a man without sin, carried all of our sins to the cross and he did it out of love.

There are people in your life whom you love so much, you’d do anything for them. Think about the pain a mother suffers in childbirth, the sacrifices a parent makes to give their children the best life they can and how you’d rather die than to see your child suffer or be hurt in any way. The strength is there, inside of you too. Be encouraged by the scripture, God’s help is there…always.