Isaiah 53:6 – All Have Sinned

“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

That’s a true statement. All have sinned, not just those other people. We have all sinned and strayed away from God’s perfect plan for our lives. It’s inevitable, but our doom is not forever because of the promise we can claim in this verse.

Context (Isaiah 53): This chapter of Isaiah’s prophecies speaks of Jesus, pointing directly to the one who gave himself for us. The truths that Isaiah was given to share can break our hearts when we read them and picture Jesus doing all of this for us. This chapter contains so many images that would play out and be fulfilled by our king Jesus. How do we respond to such a sacrifice?

What does “following our own” mean for you? Do you remember specific times when you ventured out on your own, testing the waters, exploring the world? For me, there are more times than I can count. How do I know? Because those attempts at making my own way did not succeed.

I firmly believe that if God is in my story, if God is directing my path, I will succeed. If it’s my idea and not God-approved or led, there are no guarantees of success. This verse can help us to not get too far off God’s path before we recognize we’ve gone the wrong way.

On those occasions when we do forge our own path without checking in with God first, we can rest assured that God is still with us. It’s not like he abandons us when we abandon him. The promise of God from Hebrews 13:5b is on a plaque in my office, which says, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

Isaiah’s words are more than a reality check for us. There is a promise of rescue to remind us how much we are loved. God knew we would stray, and that’s why Jesus had to come, to take on our sins. If God didn’t love us, he would have left us lost, floundering in our sin.

When we read texts like this, we have to wonder about all those people who are so far astray, unaware that they are even lost. What about them? It says “us all,” so those who are lost by design or by accident are also covered. Jesus took on their sins, too. Proverbs 28:13 says, “People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.”

Our forgiveness starts with repentance. When we have a relationship with God, our desire to be forgiven and be “right” with God intensifies. Reading chapters like Isaiah 53 puts back into perspective the sacrifice Jesus paid so that we can be forgiven. How do you respond to that kind of love?

Let’s pray. Lord, your love for us is never-ending. It’s hard to fathom that you took on such a sacrifice for me. My heart is overflowing. I am filled with joy because you are in my life, lighting the path before me. Help me do a better job of staying on the path you have for me. Forgive me for those times I have strayed. Strengthen me with your mighty arm and draw me close. In Jesus’ name. Amen.