The Word
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7)
Voice from the Church
“The men of the Bible had their school of suffering—one in silent waiting, another in prison, one in exile among mountains and caves, another in the desert. Someone has said, ‘We are wounded in order that we may learn from the great Physician how to bind up wounds and give aid. God visits us with trials in order to teach us to carry the burdens of others. We ourselves must first go to school before we can be teachers of others.’”
(George Steinberger, 1865-1904)*
Reflection
From the human perspective, one of the most remarkable occurrences of the Cross Event was the silent suffering of the Suffering Servant. Yes, we have the seven words Christ spoke, but in dying as well as in living, the Son of Man never once cast aspersions, was ungrateful, did not became harsh and censorious, and was never vengeful. The fact is, one of his closest apostles said of him, “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Pet. 2:23).
Has not God’s Lamb demonstrated for us, when faced with the most adverse difficulties and sufferings that a person has ever experienced, how we should respond when undergoing our minor (in comparison) sufferings? Peter said that the Lamb left us “an example, so that you might follow in his steps” (1 Pet. 2:21).
Verse
No mortal can with Him compare
Among the sons of men;
Fairer is He than all the fair
Who fill the heav’nly train.
(Samuel Stennett, 1727-1795)**
*George Steinberger, In the Footprints of the Lamb, p. 57.
**From “Majestic Sweetness Sits Enthroned” by Samuel Stennett.
WellSpring: 365 devotional readings
Copyright © 2018 Ralph I. Tilley
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