Our job and His job

Early this morning I was doing my Bible study and was answering this question: "How do you and I participate in the sacrifice of Jesus?" Now, I know I'm a mighty slow learner and awfully stubborn as well, so my natural inclination was to look to the verses given and figure out what I need to do. What is my participation, what's my job and my role in all of this, because, after all, I am a big doer. Get busy, do do do, and try as hard as you can, that's my motto (okay, not officially my motto, but you get the idea).

So I started reading those verses looking for my job, my role (so I could go to work) and here is what I learned: My job is... to sin. My participation is to be the one who must be saved by the Savior who does it all, absolutely all, top to bottom--like the veil rent in the temple when Jesus died on the cross. My job is to hand Him my crimson, ugly sins, and He will cleanse and wash me with His blood so that I will be white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18)

He has done it all. "Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed. 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." (Isaiah 53:4-6)

Here's our role: going astray like sheep. Transgressing. Turning aside. Refusing to esteem the One sent to save us.

Not a pretty picture, but that is me. And that is you. In our most honest moments, we know this is true. The selfish, hateful thoughts we would never admit to anyone. The petty jealousy and envy. Those sinful habits we deplore and yet refuse to give up. The lack of true love and concern for those in need. That temper, that grumbling, that ingratitude, that irritation, that harsh tongue, that apathy. And we deserve nothing but sorrow and grief and eternal damnation. That is our role in His sacrifice. Yeah, I guess I'm pretty good at my job.

But His role, His job is everything. EVERYTHING. HE HAS DONE IT ALL. We can do do do all day long, but He puts His nail scarred hands upon our frenzied, frustrated, bruised hearts and says DONE. It has all been done by the Savior: He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. He carries our sorrows. O how I thank Him for that! How many sorrows and griefs we simply cannot bear--their weight is just too terrible, too burdensome--but our Savior can carry them all, gently, lovingly, powerfully. And He will redeem those griefs and sorrows and bring healing to our souls.

But we must accept His gift of Himself. We must say yes to Him and His free gift of salvation. He has done it all, but we must go to Him and accept His grace-saturated sacrifice on our behalf. We don't have to perform or do do do or improve or get better; we simply say yes to Him as Lord and hand Him our sin. And He hands us redemption and His Holy Spirit who enables and empowers and equips us.

So today, I simply thank and praise the One who has done it all for every single one of us. What else can I do but hand Him my sins in repentance and thank Him for His sacrifice that cleanses and brings eternal healing and peace and redemption. He took the punishment we deserve and gives instead His glorious abundant life--we look into the Judge's face, knowing our crimes, our guilt, and see instead the Savior's face who joyfully forgives and frees. Thank You, thank You, thank You, Lord Jesus. To You, the Savior, the Healer, the Redeemer, be all the glory.