All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—everyone—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. –Isaiah 53:6
I don’t think truer words have ever been said than when the prophet Isaiah said that we have all gone astray like sheep. Sheep are known not to be the brightest of animals, and they have a tendency to wander from the flock and get themselves into trouble. What a perfect metaphor for the way we humans wander in our own way.
There’s another name for our wandering, though. When we wander from the path God has set before us its called sin, and we all do it. We turn from God’s will for us and pursue our will for us. We trade his priorities for our priorities. So often, we wander away from God’s plan and purpose for us, and the fact is, our wandering comes with consequences.
But, what is amazing about this verse is that it tells us the wonderful news that we don’t have to bear the consequences of our wandering ourselves! By the grace of God, our iniquity has been laid upon Jesus Christ, our good Shepherd. On the cross he bore the punishment that we deserved for our wandering, so that we didn’t have to. And because he did that, forgiveness and eternal life have been made available if we’ll trust in him!
Trust your shepherd today!