*LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL*
_By Pastor Mensa Otabil_
Wednesday 5th April 2023
*HE CARRIED OUR SORROWS*
*Scripture Reading:* Isaiah 53
_Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. *Isaiah 53:4*_
Jesus, as Messiah, takes upon himself the suffering of people and removes the sources of their pain. The prophet Isaiah gives us two of the reasons and benefits for the suffering of Christ on our behalf.
*• He has borne our griefs.* The word ‘grief’ in this context means diseases, sickness, anxiety and affliction. In Matthew 8:17, after Jesus had healed many people of various illnesses and demonic possession, we read that “This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: ‘He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases.’”
Jesus healed sicknesses because He carried our sicknesses for us.
The word ‘borne’ gives the idea of one who removes a burden from the shoulders of another, and places it on his own. Through His suffering and pain, Jesus removed the heavy burdens of our sicknesses and infirmities and placed them on Himself so that we can experience healing in our bodies.
*• He has carried our sorrows.* Not only did He bear our sicknesses in His own body, He also ‘carried our sorrows’. The word ‘sorrows’ here refers to ‘pains of the mind’. In other words, anxiety and mental harassment that leads to physical illness.
Many of us fight daily battles in our minds with fear, insecurity and anxiety. As we battle guilt and condemnation over our own actions and inadequacies, we must always bear in mind that Christ carried our mental anguish so that we can experience soundness of mind and peace.
All we need to do is to trust Him to carry our sorrows and give us the peace which surpasses all understanding.
_*Prayer:* Heavenly Father, remove the burden of fear and guilt from me so that I can serve you in joy and peace._
