He Understands and Cares / Our Daily Bread

He Understands and Cares By: David McCasland Today’s Reading: Isaiah 53:1–8 It was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. ISAIAH 53:4

When asked if he thought that ignorance and apathy were problems in modern society, a man joked, “I don’t know and I don’t care.” I suppose many discouraged people feel that way about the world today and the people in it. But when it comes to the perplexities and concerns of our lives, Jesus fully understands, and He deeply cares. Isaiah 53, an Old Testament prophecy of the crucifixion of Jesus, gives us a glimpse of what He went through for us. “He was oppressed and treated harshly . . . . He was led like a lamb to the slaughter” (v. 7). “He was struck down for the rebellion of my people” (v. 8). “It was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands” (v. 10). On the cross Jesus willingly bore our sin and guilt. No one ever suffered more than our Lord did for us. He knew what it would cost to save us from our sins and, in love, He willingly paid it (vv. 4–6). Because of Jesus’s resurrection from the dead, He is alive and present with us today. Whatever situation we face, Jesus understands and cares. And He will carry us through. He isn’t here! He is risen! —Luke 24:6