What Des Taught Me To Remember
Aug 29, 2014 2545
by Bilyana de Soto
At the time the relevance of memorising Isaiah chapter 53 for the purposes of an exam, was not that clear to me. However, I remember well labouring over the chapter in order to pass one of Dr Des Ford’s exams at college back in the 1970’s.
Since from early childhood, my family had challenged me to recite poetry and commit scripture to memory, so this proved a breezy exam to pass. I remember being the first one to complete the task in half the allotted time.
As the years rolled by and as the wonderful news that Christ bore all of my punishment, that I might walk scot-free into His kingdom, seared itself deeply into my soul, the significance of committing Isaiah 53 to memory became more and more precious. Thank you Des.
Here’s a heart wrenching account of what Jesus did for me and you from Isaiah 53:
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
4 Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
12 For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
Go ahead and repeat these words as many times as it takes to commit it to your heart’s memory. See if it doesn’t make the Saviour more precious to you!
Bilyana De Soto
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