Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
6/25 Reading Portions: Deuteronomy 30; Psalm 119:73-96; Isaiah 57; Matthew 5
The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; Isaiah 57:1
DISHEARTENED
The Lord Jesus was jeered and mocked while He hung ravaged and bloody upon Calvary’s tree. This same crowd of onlookers, who hailed Him as Messiah four days earlier, shouted to Pontius Pilate to crucify the Lord and set Barabbas free. Our Scripture portion from the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled that day. It shows us the depth of our sin as well as sinful man’s need for God’s grace— although the Lord of glory, a holy and righteous Man hung perishing upon a Roman cross at Golgotha, no one laid it to heart, for fallen mankind’s heart is incurably sick (Jer 17:9). It requires almighty, heavenly power to condescend from the very throne of God to shake a man, awaken a man, and regenerate a man to embrace the simplest of gospel truths (Ezek 36:26-27).
Although we are saved by God’s grace and have at one point in our lives made a true and genuine confession of faith, the corruptions in our mortal flesh remaining will cause us to be disheartened, disinterested, or even dismissive of the Righteous Man who perished upon the cross— who was laid to rest in a borrowed tomb, who rose again from the dead with power and prophetic fulfillment, and who ascended into heaven with majesty and a promise of triumphant return. Has the gospel lost its glory in your life, work, or private meditations? Has the cross been laid aside rather than laid to heart? Have the splendor, majesty, and excellence of Jesus Christ become common and lackluster? Our flesh has a tendency toward these moments so we must pray like David of old to be restored to the joy of Christ’s salvation and to be renewed with a right spirit (Psa 51:10). God will answer such a prayer as His positive response is based upon the righteousness of His Son, upon Christ alone. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
When the Lord Jesus hung upon
Golgotha’s cursed tree,
The sinful crowd just mocked the Son,
Hearts hardened ‘bundantly.
Brother Cardwell, thanks for these daily devotionals. I do appreciate you sharing these precious gems of truth with us.