The Lord God is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame. (Is 50:7)
Flint.
Isaiah spoke about the coming Messiah. He said that this suffering servant would set his face like flint.
Flint.
A hard substance that has a great variety of uses.
Flint could be used in tools since it was hard enough to endure pounding.
Flint could be used as a cutting material.
Flint could be used to start fires.
Flint was, in short, highly versatile and would endure much stress placed upon it.
Jesus, that suffering servant of whom Isaiah prophesied, was just such a person. He was “hard as a rock” in that He did not deviate from the truth revealed to us by God. He cut through the people’s myths and stories and told them what they needed to know. He came to “start a fire” as the Holy Spirit would descend upon the apostles likes tongues of fire, changing their lives for ever.
The suffering servant came for you and me. Because of our sins, He endured much pain and suffering. Because of His love for us, He bore all of his sufferings patiently. What do we need to do to draw closer to Him this Holy Week?
FAITH ACTION: As we begin Holy Week, pray for the grace from God to identify the things in us that need to change so that we may be more like Him.