“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:3-5
I have a loved one who has rarely had time for me. When the person has had it, it has been when the person found an opening in the person’s calendar. I was squeezed in between appointments, or had to wait until all else was accomplished in the person’s schedule before there was time for me. I was told I was selfish as a child for wanting more time with the person. One time I returned from another country to surprise the person for an event. I was delighted when the person was excited to see me. It was on video. Also on video was what happened when the person saw someone behind me of greater interest. My loved one is seen hurrying excitedly past me into the other’s arms. In some ways, the hurt is worse now. Especially when I consider there is only so long we have on earth. I wonder if the person will regret the lost years when everything and everyone seemed a higher priority than I was. Amid how much this hurts, this old wound that never heals because the hurt continues, is a blessing and message.
God ALWAYS has time for us. 24-7, for eternity, He loves us so much He sent His only begotten Son Jesus to the cross so all who repent, believe in Him, and turn sincerely to live for Him will no longer be separated forever from God by sin, but will be able to enjoy forever fellowship with Him. An eternity of never having to be squeezed into God’s calendar, bypassed for higher priorities, or called selfish for wanting more time with Him. That God would want us to be with Him forever astounds me. That a perfectly holy, righteous, sovereign God would send His precious Son to the cross so we could be in His very own Kingdom and company everlastingly, what kind of love could measure up to His? None!
God holds my heart in His hands, pours His love into me, heals me continually, and blessedly gives me love, forgiveness, and mercy for my loved one whom I pray fervently will repent and find and follow Jesus and know His love forever. God’s love is available 24-7, with no appointment necessary. His love is to bless us AND so we can pour Christ’s love out onto a broken, dying world in dire need of His love and salvation. Hope for the rejected is in living for Christ, in His love for us, and in being used by Him to bring others to Him that they too might know His unfathomable love. The hope is Christ! Oh, the hope! The hope of the Lord!