Suffering Salvation

Who believes what we’ve heard and seen?
    Who would have thought God’s saving power would look like this?
                                                                            Isa 53:1
I wanted superman, I got a savior.

Still, it’s what God had in mind all along,
    to crush him with pain.
                                                                           Isa 53:10
                                                                                                                
And not a city destroying, enemy mashing Savior either. A beaten and tortured and suffering Savior. Then I learned that in Judaism, this chapter (as well as others no doubt) isn't applied to some savior in the future, but to the people of Israel themselves. The person being crushed is them.

It made me ponder: as a christian I often think of it as my duty to be loving, kind, and helpful. But what if my ministry has to include suffering as well.

I don't like that at all, and I don't think I want to be a Christian any more.