August 21
From the Root to the Cross
Today's Reading
Old Testament
New Testament
- Isaiah 11-13
- Psalm 118
New Testament
- Matthew 27
Devotion
Isaiah 11 opens with a hopeful image: a shoot growing from the stump of Jesse. This is a vision of new life springing up from what seemed dead—a promise of a righteous ruler filled with wisdom, justice, and peace. Isaiah foresees a day when the wolf will dwell with the lamb and the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord. Even as Isaiah later speaks of judgment on the nations, the tone remains anchored in the assurance that God is in control, working out a redemptive plan even through devastation.
Psalm 118 is a song of thanksgiving from someone who has experienced God's rescue in the face of overwhelming opposition. It reminds the worshiper that the Lord is their strength and salvation, even when surrounded by enemies. The psalmist declares that the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone—a line that echoes with prophetic power when considered alongside the suffering of Jesus.
Matthew 27 records the agony of that rejection. Jesus, the promised shoot from Jesse’s line, is mocked, beaten, and crucified. The crowd chooses Barabbas. The leaders scoff. Even His disciples scatter. Jesus cries out from the cross, carrying the full weight of humanity's sin and pain. The rejected stone is placed upon the cross, and yet, in this act of humiliation, God's ultimate plan of salvation is being fulfilled.
The beauty of these passages together is in their arc—from promise, through pain, to victory. The shoot from the stump was never just about political renewal. The cornerstone was never meant to fit neatly into human expectations. The cross, though brutal, was the gateway to resurrection.
When we look at our own lives and see stumps—dreams cut down, hopes dashed, relationships fractured—we can remember Isaiah's vision. God brings life where there was death. When we feel rejected or overlooked, we remember the psalmist’s assurance that God's ways overturn the world’s verdicts. And when we carry sorrow or shame, we remember Matthew 27 and the Savior who bore all of it for us.
Psalm 118 is a song of thanksgiving from someone who has experienced God's rescue in the face of overwhelming opposition. It reminds the worshiper that the Lord is their strength and salvation, even when surrounded by enemies. The psalmist declares that the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone—a line that echoes with prophetic power when considered alongside the suffering of Jesus.
Matthew 27 records the agony of that rejection. Jesus, the promised shoot from Jesse’s line, is mocked, beaten, and crucified. The crowd chooses Barabbas. The leaders scoff. Even His disciples scatter. Jesus cries out from the cross, carrying the full weight of humanity's sin and pain. The rejected stone is placed upon the cross, and yet, in this act of humiliation, God's ultimate plan of salvation is being fulfilled.
The beauty of these passages together is in their arc—from promise, through pain, to victory. The shoot from the stump was never just about political renewal. The cornerstone was never meant to fit neatly into human expectations. The cross, though brutal, was the gateway to resurrection.
When we look at our own lives and see stumps—dreams cut down, hopes dashed, relationships fractured—we can remember Isaiah's vision. God brings life where there was death. When we feel rejected or overlooked, we remember the psalmist’s assurance that God's ways overturn the world’s verdicts. And when we carry sorrow or shame, we remember Matthew 27 and the Savior who bore all of it for us.
Reflection Questions
- What "stump" in your life are you asking God to bring new life out of, like the shoot in Isaiah?
- In what ways have you identified with rejection, and how does Jesus' suffering reshape your view of it?
- What would it look like to live with confidence that God’s salvation is real and active, even when you can't see it?
Prayer
Lord, Thank You for being the shoot from Jesse’s stump and the cornerstone we so often overlook. You endured rejection, pain, and death so that we might be brought into life. Teach us to trust in Your promise, even in seasons of loss and silence. Renew our hearts where they feel cut off, and let us live as people who carry the hope of resurrection in everything we do. Amen
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