Day 5—Monday, February 23

Isaiah 53:6

All of us like sheep have gone astray,

Each of us has turned to his own way;

But the Lord has caused the iniquity of

Us all

To fall on Him.

While preparing to write this Lent devotional, I found myself in the midst of a strange but helpful meditation (you can try it too if you’d like).

I began repeating today’s selected scripture, in particular, the first line; “all of us like sheep have gone astray”, and then, (I’d like to think by the Holy Spirit's prompting) I began to picture faces of fellow parishioners here at RCPC - young, old, close acquaintances, and folks I hardly even know.

As someone’s likeness took shape in my mind, I held them in my mental gaze for a moment, repeated the scripture, and then took note of what feelings came up. As I did this, something peculiar began to happen; I kept feeling compassion well inside of me for each and every person. Sometimes it showed up immediately, sometimes it took a few moments, but it showed up every time. This verse - this direct statement of our vulnerability and waywardness - somehow began to knit me closer to all those who came to mind.

The story of us wandering from God and into a place of our own making goes all the way back to Genesis 3. Our wandering often leads us, like Adam and Eve, to hide. We feel our own vulnerability and in a scramble of self-reliance, separate ourselves from one another and God.

As we prepare for what is ahead in this season of Lent, I would encourage you to hold this scripture in your heart and mind, but know that it is not a call to isolation or shame. It is a call to humility and compassion, one that is to unify us in the glory of our vulnerability, and the sufficiency of Christ. If there is to be a procession of saints following the risen Christ, there must be a procession of sinners joining hands, looking side to side, and knowing, we are ALL in need of the grace that is promised.

-Jordan McLamb