Isaiah 53-54

(January 6, 2015)

                I am constantly amazed at the personality of the Savior.  I imagine myself, and whether I would be willing to give my life for someone.  Frankly, I think that I would give my life for another – so long as the death was sufficiently heroic and memorable and didn’t hurt too much.  But then I think of an ignominious and painful death, and I wonder whether I would do that.  For strangers, probably not – for my children, probably.

                But then I move forward and think about whether I would continue to do that even if my children hated me and even if the reason that I was called upon to die was because of the misdeeds of my children (and even if I had warned them ahead of time).  I’d like to think that I would still make that sacrifice, but it is certainly a closer issue in my mind.

                I go through that little mental exercise to place myself in the mind of the Savior.  He sacrificed His life not for just those who love Him, but for those who hated Him.  At His death, it was not heroic and memorable (because mortal minds did not comprehend) – but He did it anyway.  It was painful and miserable – so much so that the Son of Almighty God would that He might not drink, and yet He did.  All for us – His enemies, we who wound Him with our sins.

                The more I learn of the Savior, the more I realize how amazing He is and how unworthy I am.