Jan 28, 2020

Good Morning Fellow Travelers,

Read: Isaiah 53

“Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form or comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” (Isaiah 53:1)

According to the above verse, there was no outstanding characteristic in Christ’s appearance. He did not stand out in a crowd. He did not draw people for physical reasons. We believe this verse is a prophetic pronouncement of how Christ appeared, because all the words Isaiah wrote were inspired by God. Where then is the beauty found in Christ?

Christ’s beauty is in His willingness to bear our griefs and our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4). We are so often weighed down with sorrow and grief. We weep sometimes, pleading for respite from the pain of some rejection, a son gone astray, a daughter in rebellion, a body racked by illness, a failure in sin, or a brother estranged. Surely Jesus bears our griefs. Jesus is beautiful in His love for us.

Jesus is beautiful because He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement we rightly deserved, the stripes meant for our backs, He took upon Himself. Take a moment and read Isaiah 53:5. Place your name where the word “our” is. Christ is beautiful in His humility in taking the place of us who so deserved to die.

He is beautiful in His meekness. He had the power to obliterate His enemies; instead, as men nailed His hands and feet, He prayed for them to be forgiven. Remember, our sins nailed Him there. He agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane, but willingly gave His life for us.

Christ is beautiful.

He is beautiful in holiness. He is the righteous servant. He justifies us as we believe. He, at God’s right hand, intercedes for us.

Trust this beautiful Christ with your life and future.

The beauty of Christ is best seen by His character lived out in redeemed men and women.

~ James Baer