For he (Jesus) grew up before him (our Father) like a “tender shoot,”
and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. Isa. 53:2–4
Lord Jesus, as we reflect on Isaiah’s description of your first Advent, your manger appears as a small garden of gigantic grace. For the Father planted you there as the “tender shoot” of Isaiah’s vision. You are the root of grace that broke through the parched ground of our fallen world and lifeless hearts.
You created beauty and are the essence of beauty, yet you became the one with “no beauty,” for us. You took the darkness and ugliness of our sin, that we might become righteous and beautiful in you. What mercy, what mystery… though you’ve always enjoyed the delights of the Godhead and the adoration of heaven, you were despised and rejected by mere men. The sacrifice you made for us is incalculable, Jesus.
You—the fountain of pleasures, whose laughter fills heaven, whose joy is our strength—you embraced the intense suffering and incalculable grief of the cross. You took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows. You bore our guilt and exhausted our judgment. Your great affliction has placed us in our Father’s eternal affection. Hallelujah, now and forever.
Though you didn’t remain a “tender shoot,” you retained all tenderness—a compassion and kindness you shower on us daily. Oh, to esteem and love you more, Jesus. Renew, refresh, and revive our hearts to love you with childlike wonder and fresh surrender. So very Amen we pray, in your beautiful and grace-full name.