This morning I met Yeshua in that intimate place between 6:15 and 6:30am. These are early hours for me and it is only His Spirit that enabled me to stay up long enough to roll over onto my knees, face on the pillow and head into His chest. Immediately I became extremely aware of His lowliness. It was an interesting phenomenon on many levels. Normally when I am seeking God I go to Him as Father or Lover. These are the ways I know Him best. His Fatherhood has healed me from many a years of not having a father. His romance and intimacy has mended the pieces of a broken heart torn by many a lover. But Yeshua, the Savior, the Friend, the Lowly One, is not as much on my radar as His counterparts.
However this morning that is all I knew.
He is meek and His meekness touched my heart in only the way that He can. Scripture after scripture flooded me as I meditated on His meekness. “Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised and we held him in low esteem…” (Isaiah 53:1-3).
He has been ministering to me heavily in this season about unconditional love. I’m realizing just how conditional my love is for others. Even if those same others love me unconditionally. When experiencing a nature of offense that literally felt as if I was slapped in the face, I quickly retracted my hand to slap back. Thankfully His Spirit gently grabbed my hand, lowering it to my side. “If a man slaps you on the cheek” He whispered, “turn the other cheek”.
But Father I am offended! My heart cried. I’m insulted! I’m disrespected! They can’t do this and get away with it!
“Will you wave your right to be offended Nicole?” He asked. Will you lay down your right to be hurt and instead look at the hurt of that individual which has caused them to offend you? Will you minister to them so that they will be healed and hurt no more?” That is His meekness at it’s finest.
True humility is demonstrated when you are slapped in the face and you turn the other cheek for them to go at it again.
Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all…(Isaiah 53:4-6)
A friend was just sharing with me how American it is to hold on to offense and feel entitled to hold on to the right to do just that. When I think about it, I realize that is the basis of our justice system. In a civil suit two folks go into a court of law hoping to obtain a verdict in their favor. They argue for or defend against and only one comes out the winner. (Apparently this occurrence is so entertaining there have been many a reality show created just to watch the arguments unfold.) And yes, our justice system states that we have a right to get back what was stolen, or misused, etc…but would those who do not have the winning verdict feel as discouraged with the outcome if they waived their right to justice?
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. He was assigned a grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7-9)
Just today I was listening to a sermon about the verdict of the George Zimmerman case. My heart grieved right along with the black pastor and congregation as he preached about the injustice of it all. I prayed fervently for my people that we would be healed and not be entangled in the deceitfulness of racism and yet I still struggled with the solution to this grief. Thankfully the preacher reminded us all of another man who did not receive justice. A man who was not only innocent of a crime he was punished for, but was innocent from all sin. And then I remembered….
Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:10-12)
There may not be justice in our earthly court of law. But how can we expect there to be when the Son of Man who was entitled to justice more than anyone did not receive it this side of eternity?
And He did not fight for justice when confronted by the Jews, because He waived His rights to it, as He knew His crucifixion would provide freedom for the very ones crucifying Him.
Selah.
I am still learning to waive my rights. I am still learning to be un-offendable. I am still learning to be meek and lowly and to love unconditionally. But I have hope to obtain these qualities because I’m learning from the best Teacher…the best Rabbi. And I have always been a great student. I hope you are learning as well…
SHALOM
