the hardest job... ever

Have you ever gotten hired for a job
when you never really saw
the job description?

You know, I think for most of us
that's how it happens.
We don't really know all that is expected;
all the job will require of us.

Sometimes we are pleasantly surprised.
But then again...
often, it's more than we were ready to give.

And this morning I had a chance
to read a job description.
One pretty detailed,
written long before
it was ever filled with the perfect
Candidate...
the only one who could accomplish
all that was listed.

And I must say...
if I had been the one looking it over
from the other sided of Heaven,
I'm not so certain I'd have taken that job.

And aren't you glad
that you didn't have to depend on me
for your salvation!

Because Jesus obviously loves much more
than I am ever capable...
for He showed up to this job description:
Who has believed our report?
(the prophets speaking)
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
(Jesus is the powerful arm)
For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,
And as a root out of dry ground.
He has no form or comeliness;
And when we see Him,
There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
(He was ordinary in appearance)
He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
(I feel ashamed that I would have treated Him thus)

Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
(He lifted them off, too heavy for us;
these to include our illness and our pain)
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
(we most likely would have
judged Him as guilty
since these were often considered
punishments given;
as if He must have
​done something wrong in life
to deserve such... at least from God.
For at that time,
we may not have believed
Him to BE God.)

But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
(wounded, bruised, punished all for our
eternal peace...ease, freedom, security)
And by His stripes we are healed.
(These stripes from the scourging, the lashes)

All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him
the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
(yet we complain of the slightest inconvenience)
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.
(not even to defend, deny or disparage)

He was taken from prison and from judgment,
And who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
And they made His grave with the wicked...
But with the rich at His death,
(He was crucified between two thrives,
but buried in the tomb of Joseph)

Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him;
(Not that God took pleasure in this
but He knew it's necessity to reveal
His perfect justice and mercy)

He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the Lord
shall prosper in His hand.
He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant
shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
(as a victor divides the spoils after battle,
so God shares Jesus grace among us all)
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah 53:1-12

Jesus, fully willing to pour Himself out,
all of Himself... His teachings,
His healings,
His love and kindness as a man
all the way to this cross.

I am overwhelmed by this.
Not only is God omnipotent,
that is, all-knowing,
but this was written out, in detail,
by Isaiah.
This the job description for Jesus' life
and death.
Even though Jesus knew what was to come...
here it was written out,
in detail,
line by line.

And still, He showed up
obedient to it all.
For us.

I can honestly say,
I am overwhelmed.

I've had some time to contemplate this.
I've read it a few times the past day or two.
Slowly, line by line.
Tears included.
This truly... obedience in multiple acts.
This surely... love in the greatest degree.

Word of God
train me, today...
To simply say "Thank You, Lord," for this,
the most incredible act of obeiednce and love.
To live a life of obedience to You,
longing to show You as well,
how very much I appreciate all...
just all.