He Opened Not His Mouth
Adapted from Beginning Your Day God’s Way
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
Isaiah 53:7 says Jesus was oppressed, and he was afflicted (ESV). He suffered for our sins. He took our punishment, and His heavenly Father sent Him to do it. We forget sometimes how God, out of His love for us, allowed His own Son to suffer, and then we complain when something is hard or inconvenient, which is foolish on our part.
The scripture continues, yet he opened not his mouth. Despite everything that Jesus went through, He did not complain. He didn’t blame God; He didn’t question God. At the very end, when His suffering was at its worst, He did cry out, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Mark 15:34 ESV). He had to experience everything that we would ever experience, so in the end, He felt completely abandoned and forsaken.
We don’t even know what suffering means compared to what Jesus went through for us. He took our sin upon Himself, and because of that, we’re free! Hallelujah!
So, what do we have to complain about? If Jesus didn’t complain, if He opened not his mouth even when He was being beaten and oppressed, then we should follow His lead.
Prayer of the Day: God, I am so grateful for what Jesus did for me. Help me never take for granted the freedom He died for me to experience. I will focus on my gratitude and keep my complaints to myself, amen.
